The Dallas Cowboys have a few needs to address in the 2025 NFL Draft, and they were able to cross one of them off the list by selecting offensive guard Tyler Booker from the Alabama Crimson Tide with the 12th pick.
While some people were disappointed that the Cowboys did not draft a wide receiver or running back, former coach Mike McCarthy explained on Pat McAfee’s ‘Draft Spectacular’ show that he was enamored with the pick.
Former Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy Loves Dallas’ First Round Pick
After NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Cowboys were selecting Booker with the 12th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, McAfee asked for McCarthy’s opinion after coaching Dallas for the last five seasons.
He replied, “Love the pick. If you had asked me who we would be picking, this is the way I’d think we’d go.”
The Dallas Cowboys are drafting Tyler Booker
“I love this pick by the Cowboys..
I loved my time in Dallas and it’s a phenomenal organization” ~ Coach McCarthy#PMSDraftSpectacular #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/KMie4vYzvV
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 25, 2025
Booker is projected to slide into the right guard spot for the Cowboys and was drafted to take Zack Martin’s place on the offensive line, who retired this offseason. It will be interesting to see how Booker helps the Cowboys in the 2025 season and beyond.
Jerry Jones Talks Cowboys Drafting Tyler Booker
During the Cowboys’ post-first-round press conference, owner and general manager Jerry Jones discussed how he was excited to land Booker in the NFL Draft. He even cracked a joke about potentially being able to run the tush push play with the personnel the team now has up front in the interior offensive line.
“Put him in there with that big [center Cooper] Beebe and put him in with [left guard] Tyler [Smith], and we might be able to tush push,” Jones said.
Some people felt like this pick may have been a reach, as Booker was not projected to be the best player on the board at the time. According to PFSN’s Ian Cummings’ seven-round mock draft, he had Booker landing with the Cincinnati Bengals at pick 17 and the Cowboys drafting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
According to PFSN’s Offense+, Dallas finished the 2024 season with a 68.2 Offense+ grade, ranking 23rd in the NFL. While some of that was due to injuries, the team needed to get younger on the offensive line to get more protection, which is what Booker brings to the team. Do not be surprised if Dallas continues drafting offensive talent in the earlier draft rounds.