Inside The Star
Over the last ten years, only three guards have been selected higher than Tyler Booker in the NFL Draft. So, naturally, selecting the former Alabama product 12th overall did not come without its critics.
Fans wanted a flashy pick in the first round, and the front office denied them in favor of one of the lowest valued positions in the entire sport.
When you make that kind of choice, you had better hit on it.
They just aren’t very good at this anymore tbh.
I like Tyler Booker. I do. But you don’t draft a guard only at 12th overall when you have zero weapons on offense outside of CeeDee Lamb.
— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) April 25, 2025
Missing on a quarterback, wide receiver, etc., high in the draft is understandable; you were swinging for the fences at the most important positions. Missing on a guard in the top 12 is rarely seen in the same light.
In short, Tyler Booker has a ton of pressure on his shoulders this season and in the future. If he doesn’t at least meet the expectations set by previous top-12 guards, the pick will be lambasted.
To gauge what those expectations are, let’s examine the three guards who preceded Booker and what they brought to the table early on.
Tyler Booker broke a shorter streak than normal in this regard, as the Titans selected former Northwestern guard Peter Skoronski 11th overall just two years ago. When that pick was made, it had been five years since the last top-12 guard.
Skoronski came into the league as a tackle in college with fairly high expectations, as Tennessee passed on various future Pro Bowlers to snag him.
Unlike Booker, he did not enter the league with a position set in concrete.
Dallas is, without a question of a doubt, starting Booker at right guard. The Titans shifted Skoronski from tackle to guard, and eventually settled on the left guard spot as his domain.
Peter Skoronski over the last 8 Games of the 2024 season:
-2 Sacks Allowed
-7 Quarterback Pressures Allowed
-79.475 Pass-Blocking Grade
-314 Pass-Blocking SnapsExpectations for the #Titans Left Guard in 2025? #TitanUp pic.twitter.com/sX8SFzit6h
— SharmSports (@SharmSports) July 8, 2025
How has it worked out? Well, when Jahmyr Gibbs is the pick right after you, it’s tough to combat the “bad pick” allegations, but that may not be fair.
While Peter Skoronski hasn’t been named to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, he has quietly been a stabilizing force in Tennessee with the potential to truly blossom in 2025. If that were Booker’s story, most would be disappointed, but stability is needed in Dallas.
In a perfect world, Tyler Booker follows the exact same career path as former top-6 pick Quenton Nelson.
The 2018 NFL...
