Tyler Booker is only a rookie with the Dallas Cowboys, but he’s already wise beyond his years. The former Alabama star left guard became the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft this spring, and his transition from Tuscaloosa to the professional ranks hasn’t stopped him from spouting wisdom like he did with the Crimson Tide.
Booker stole the show at the NFL Scouting Combine media availability when he said he wants to “take a little bit of your soul” on every play, but his latest quote for Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, California, may have been even better.
Former Alabama star, Tyler Booker, battling for starting job with Dallas Cowboys
The quote was great. At least from an outsider’s perspective, “We’re doing algebra in a fist fight” is the perfect way to describe offensive line play. However, the context of the quote isn’t the best for Booker. Despite being a first-round pick, first-year Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer hasn’t handed the starting right guard job to Booker.
Booker is making the transition from left to right guard, which can be difficult for young players to navigate, along with the increased competition level. Not only is Booker attempting to do algebra in a fist fight, but he’s essentially doing it backwards. Everything changes when you flip sides of the offensive line, and while it likely won’t stunt his growth long-term, it could delay Booker’s arrival as an impact player for the Cowboys.
Booker played 167 snaps at right guard in 2022, but the rest of his 2,007 offensive snaps across his three years with the Tide came on the left side of the line, including 77 at left tackle last season.
The position change was forced by two other former first-round picks, Tyler Smith and Tyler Guyton, who are entrenched at starting left guard and left tackle, respectively. That leaves Booker to replace future Hall of Famer Zack Martin at right guard after his retirement this offseason, if he can win the job.
One of the main focuses for Dallas, which is embroiled in a contract dispute with star pass-rusher Micah Parsons at the moment, during training camp and the preseason, will be on the right guard competition between Booker and veteran Rob Jones.
Jones signed a one-year $3.75 million contract with the Cowboys this offseason, after spending his first four seasons with the Miami Dolphins. The former undrafted free agent has played over 2,000 career NFL snaps, with the vast majority at left guard and just 350 at right guard. Dallas has a much larger investment in Booker, so it’s in the team’s best interest for him to win the starting job. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s a sure thing.
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