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The Dallas Cowboys are placing immense trust in rookie offensive guard Tyler Booker, the 12th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, as he steps into a role vacated by franchise legend Zack Martin. Booker, a former All-American from Alabama, isn’t just aiming to fill a Hall of Famer’s shoes, he’s setting his sights on Super Bowl titles.
Born April 12, 2004, in New Haven, Connecticut, Booker’s football journey began at St. Luke’s School before transferring to the nationally renowned IMG Academy in Florida. Rated as the No. 39 overall recruit in the country, he chose Alabama over offers from Florida, Georgia, Oregon, and Ohio State.
Booker developed into a dominant force during his time with the Crimson Tide. As a freshman in 2022, he played in 12 games with one start. His breakout came in the 2023 season, when he started 12 games, allowed just two sacks and four pressures, and earned second-team All-SEC honors. He continued to elevate his game in 2024, becoming a first-team All-American.
Booker himself remains driven by unfinished business.
“I love to win and I hate to lose. I lost too much this past year. I lost a lot more than I should have in college, me being at Alabama,” Booker said, via the Dallas Morning News. “I left without a national championship, and that’s something that is going to burn at me for the rest of my life. So I’m going to bring that burn and passion and desire with me to the NFL and transfer that over to wanting to win Super Bowls.”
Though some draft experts believed he might go on day two, the Cowboys had no hesitation when it came to Booker. Once Zack Martin announced his retirement on February 20, the Cowboys didn’t waste any time. They moved quickly to lock in their future at right guard, Booker’s new spot, even though he mostly lined up on the left side during his college days.
The position change isn’t minor. The transition from left to right guard requires a complete reversal in technique, including switching dominant feet and hands.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Booker said. “You have to think a little bit more, but at the same time, it’s a technique that you’re a lot more cognizant of what you’re doing with your body. It’s not too hard because my freshman year at ‘Bama, I would get two drives at left guard and two drives at right guard. Shout out to Coach [Nick] Saban and [offensive line coach] Coach [Eric] Wolford for getting me ready for the NFL.”
Replacing Martin is no ordinary task. The nine-time All-Pro logged 10,562 snaps over his career, committed only 21 accepted penalties, and served as the anchor of one of the NFL’s most consistent offensive lines.
Now, that responsibility falls on Booker. Training camp is right around the corner, and Booker can’t wait to throw the pads on, get to work, and soak up everything he can along the way.
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