The Dallas Cowboys did not deserve any of the criticism the front office received for neglecting to address the wide receiver position at all with their nine selections in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dallas is at a position of strength at wideout following the trade to acquire George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Landing a young, but seasoned, wide receiver raises the floor for that group in a significant way, as the ceiling was always high with CeeDee Lamb on the roster.
Instead, the Cowboys focused much of their attention on the trenches as five of those nine draft picks will call the offensive or defensive line their home moving forward. Building the line through the draft is something that Dallas has enjoyed great success doing over the years and it looks like it may have struck gold yet again with its top pick, Tyler Booker, as the former Alabama Crimson Tide star is already feeling quite comfortable in the new role he's been asked to take on.
Cowboys Rookie Tyler Booker Thriving at New Position Ahead of Camp
The Cowboys selected Booker out of Alabama with the No. 12 overall pick. His selection was initially met with skepticism as offensive guards typically aren't off the board that early in any draft. Drafting offensive line talent is a skill Dallas has mastered, though, and Booker looks to continue that trend with the ease he has had adapting to the right guard position in the NFL after, primarily, playing left guard in the SEC.
One of the luxuries of playing at a program like Alabama, specifically during Nick Saban's tenure, is that players received high-level coaching that not only prepared them for play week in and week out in the SEC but also prepared them well for life in the NFL. Booker attributed his early success at a new primary position to the coaching he received in Tuscaloosa.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Booker said, via Garrett Podell of CBSSports.com. “You have to think a little bit more, but at the same time, it’s 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 [former Alabama head coach Nick] Saban and [offensive line coach Eric] Wolford for getting me ready for the NFL.”
Protecting quarterback Dak Prescott is the more important job that Booker and his peers on the offensive line have on their plates moving forward. Dallas fans witnessed the aftermath of Prescott's season-ending injury last season, and the Cowboys cannot afford a similar outcome again for various reasons beyond the financial investment the front office has made under center.
With the preparation Booker received for this moment during his time at Alabama, it shouldn't come as a surprise that he has been thriving since moving from the left side of the offensive line to the right side. If this trend continues, fans will be adding Booker's name to the growing list of elite offensive linemen drafted by the Cowboys.