2025 NFL Draft - 1st Round Pick - Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama

[Simpleton]

That does beg the question, you draft a guard in the first, you expect a 10 year starter. If you draft a dude for a specific scheme, what happens when your scheme changes? Is Booker so great that moving forward you are stuck with limited coordinator options?

I mean isn't that sort of against the grain of BPA? You're looking for best player, not best player in your specific scheme at this moment?

Theoretically, yea, but I think we all know that every team is drafting for their current scheme with the knowledge that schemes could change in a few years.

In Booker's specific case I think he fits more teams than he doesn't, the only ones I'd be truly worried about are the pure zone teams that emphasize outside zone, and I think there are less of those than teams who run a mix or are gap/power-heavy.

 

[Simpleton]

Archer said that he thinks Booker was their top OL in the entire draft.

Which I think is a bit ridiculous with respect to Membou, but I could see him being above Campbell if you don't think Campbell is truly a viable LT, and I had him above Banks to begin with so it's very possible.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

In Booker's specific case I think he fits more teams than he doesn't, the only ones I'd be truly worried about are the pure zone teams that emphasize outside zone, and I think there are less of those than teams who run a mix or are gap/power-heavy.

Speaking of that, I watched some more full game cutups of Mafah and I'm kind of excited about seeing more of that old school gap/power stuff. I totally see what BS meant in that what Clemson did is a lot like what Adams does.

 

[Simpleton]

Speaking of that, I watched some more full game cutups of Mafah and I'm kind of excited about seeing more of that old school gap/power stuff. I totally see what BS meant in that what Clemson did is a lot like what Adams does.

Yep, it's going to be very downhill and physical, which is why they likely had Booker higher based on the scheme they're going to run than random team X.

That's actually one thing that bothered me a bit with our great OL's around the 2014-16 timeframe. They were awesome and I think could've been one of the best of all-time if not for the injuries and Frederick's situation, but it was very zone-heavy.

I think with a more imaginative offensive staff we could've gotten more out of those rosters with a more diverse running game.

 

[ravidubey]

I think with a more imaginative offensive staff we could've gotten more out of those rosters with a more diverse running game.

Instead, we pounded it between the tackles and fried both Murray and Zeke in the process. I think we could have done more with Pollard

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Yep, it's going to be very downhill and physical, which is why they likely had Booker higher based on the scheme they're going to run than random team X.

That's actually one thing that bothered me a bit with our great OL's around the 2014-16 timeframe. They were awesome and I think could've been one of the best of all-time if not for the injuries and Frederick's situation, but it was very zone-heavy.

I think with a more imaginative offensive staff we could've gotten more out of those rosters with a more diverse running game.

I will say it was pretty fun back in the early Dak days when we could just run the ball at will. It's been awhile since we have been able to do that. Hopefully we now have a head coach that can finally take advantage of that.

 

[Simpleton]

I will say it was pretty fun back in the early Dak days when we could just run the ball at will. It's been awhile since we have been able to do that. Hopefully we now have a head coach that can finally take advantage of that.

If Guyton gets anywhere near his potential I honestly think we'll have an OL that will rival that group, as well as the group the Eagles have had for the past few years. Smith-Beebe-Booker might be the best interior OL in the league as soon as the later part of 2025, and by 2026 at the absolute latest.

As long as Guyton can just be a good starting LT (or even RT) that is going to be a very serious group.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

If Guyton gets anywhere near his potential I honestly think we'll have an OL that will rival that group, as well as the group the Eagles have had for the past few years. Smith-Beebe-Booker might be the best interior OL in the league as soon as the later part of 2025, and by 2026 at the absolute latest.

As long as Guyton can just be a good starting LT (or even RT) that is going to be a very serious group.

Yeah, I still have high hopes for Guyton. That's no guarantee but the guy flashed. Otherwise he was raw just like we expected. It's not like Mazi who looked like absolute shit as a rookie. And frankly was supposed to be an NFL ready NT.

 

[Simpleton]

Yeah, I still have high hopes for Guyton. That's no guarantee but the guy flashed. Otherwise he was raw just like we expected. It's not like Mazi who looked like absolute shit as a rookie. And frankly was supposed to be an NFL ready NT.

The other thing is that if Guyton doesn't work out here under these circumstances, he was never going to.

We literally have a glorified OL coach as OC, plus an actual OL coach who is very experienced with a great track record. If he doesn't put it together with that sort of coaching around him he never would have and it was just a pure miss by the scouts on his work ethic/character.

 

[ravidubey]

If Guyton gets anywhere near his potential I honestly think we'll have an OL that will rival that group, as well as the group the Eagles have had for the past few years. Smith-Beebe-Booker might be the best interior OL in the league as soon as the later part of 2025, and by 2026 at the absolute latest.

Our OL is very athletic relative to the punishing tree trunks the Eagles have been drafting.

I get the feeling the Eagles OL will be more stout at the point of attack.

Just a different kind of group.

 

[Simpleton]

Our OL is very athletic relative to the punishing tree trunks the Eagles have been drafting.

I get the feeling the Eagles OL will be more stout at the point of attack.

Just a different kind of group.

Guyton definitely fits more in the "athletic but not much of a mauler" category, but I think our interior 3 are all more physical, downhill types than "zone, get out in space" types.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Guyton definitely fits more in the "athletic but not much of a mauler" category, but I think our interior 3 are all more physical, downhill types than "zone, get out in space" types.

Yeah our three middle guys are arguably just as much maulers as the Eagles. I wouldn't call Jurgens a mauler. Not sure who their RG is but don't think it's a mauler on Bookers level.

Now OT might be a different situation but not on the interior.

 

[Simpleton]

Yeah our three middle guys are arguably just as much maulers as the Eagles. I wouldn't call Jurgens a mauler. Not sure who their RG is but don't think it's a mauler on Bookers level.

Now OT might be a different situation but not on the interior.

I think they're planning on starting Kenyon Green at RG.

He was actually pretty similar to Booker coming out, he's been a bust but knowing the god damn Eagles he'll make the Pro Bowl next year thanks to their OL coach.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I think they're planning on starting Kenyon Green at RG.

He was actually pretty similar to Booker coming out, he's been a bust but knowing the god damn Eagles he'll make the Pro Bowl next year thanks to their OL coach.

That's kind of my assumption as well but he has been really bad in the NFL. And I put more weight on a guy's NFL performance than I do their college performance (See Mingo). He has been hurt but on the field he has been really bad as well. You're also not making me feel better about Booker...

 

[ravidubey]

Few college players are guaranteed success in the NFL

No one thought Zack Martin would be a HOFer with fewer holding penalties than pro-bowls in his career.

You can only go by the information you have.

Green was the 15th overall and Martin the 16th overall. Steve Hutchinson was 17th overall and so was Mike Iupati.

12th is early by a few picks, but if there was no trade down the reach is OK. Bottom line you want one of the legit first rounders.

 

[boozeman]

Cheap. Waiter Cap Boi is a genius!

 

[ravidubey]

Cheap. Waiter Cap Boi is a genius!

Well that was fast

Been a while since we signed draft picks this early into the process, right?

 

[boozeman]

Well that was fast

Been a while since we signed draft picks this early into the process, right?

Not like the old days where your signability determined where a player was picked.

 

[ravidubey]

Not like the old days where your signability determined where a player was picked.

Jerry and Jimmy pioneered that… asking players if they agree to the number from the same slotted draftee in the prior year plus 10% before they drafted them and while the draft was happening.

The league and union ended that practice shortly thereafter

 

[Simpleton]

I looked up the PFF stats on sacks allowed, QB hits and hurries for Booker compared to some of the recent 1st round OG's. I didn't include guys like Skoronski who were tackles in college but were drafted to play guard, since having played tackle kind of skews things.

I also didn't include small school guys since the level of competition is so different and only included stats for guys in their last 3 years to keep it somewhat comparable.

Sacks allowed:

• Booker - 2 (0 in his final season)
• Zion Johnson - 3 (1 in his final season)
• Quenton Nelson - 4 (1 in his final season)
• Chris Lindstrom - 5 (0 in his final season)
• Kenyon Green - 5 (1 in his final season)
• Graham Barton - 10 (2 in his final season)

QB hits allowed:

• Booker - 7 (3 in his final season)
• Quenton Nelson - 4 (1 in his final season)
• Zion Johnson - 9 (2 in his final season)
• Kenyon Green - 14 (2 in his final season)
• Graham Barton and Chris Lindstrom had clearly incorrect numbers (i.e. they're down for 0 QB hits allowed over their entire career despite giving up several sacks) so I just excluded them

Hurries allowed:

• Booker - 21 (7 in his final season)
• Quenton Nelson - 19 (3 in his final season)
• Graham Barton - 27 (9 in his final season)
• Zion Johnson - 28 (3 in his final season)
• Chris Lindstrom - 28 (4 in his final season)
• Kenyon Green - 29 (7 in his final season)

Not sure what any of this means exactly but it was interesting to see how he stacked up based on raw numbers, some of which may be a bit open to interpretation though, particularly "hurries".