FRISCO, Texas — Forty-seven minutes into Tuesday’s pre-draft news conference, Jerry Jones started talking about the importance of a strong offensive line. While running back, wide receiver and cornerback appeared to be bigger needs, that’s the moment when the Cowboys owner and general manager started showing his hand.
“I don’t think that running back was as significant last year in us not getting where we wanted to go,” he said. “I don’t. I think it was our offensive line that was the bigger impact on the running back situation.”
The result Thursday night was Dallas using the 12th overall pick to draft Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker. It marks the third time in the last four years the Cowboys have drafted an offensive lineman in the first round.
Booker didn’t sound too concerned about those who question the selection.
“I would say, turn on the tape,” he said, “because for three years at Alabama I just straight up dominated. I was a dude at the University of Alabama. I was that guy (there) for three years straight and it takes a lot for a person to be that.”
Jones said Dallas had 12 players with first-round grades on its draft board with Booker being one of them. While there was a trade partner on the phone when the Cowboys were on the clock, the offer wasn’t good enough for Dallas to move back and pass up on getting Booker.
One of the biggest reasons it made sense to Jones is the protection it adds for Dak Prescott, who is playing under a four-year deal that is paying him $60 million per season. From 2011 through 2014, they spent first-round picks on left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and right guard Zack Martin. It was the ideal protection for an aging Tony Romo, but it also provided the ideal situation for a rookie quarterback like Prescott in 2016.
“We’re very aware of the challenges we have in our division in the center of the (defensive) line,” Jones said. “It has everything to do with when you make somebody the highest-paid player in the NFL, you’d like to have something in front of him. That’s kind of cute-talk but it’s really fact-talk.”
Frederick retired in 2020. Smith and Martin have retired in the last two months.
The plan is to start their best five offensive linemen Week 1. That could mean moving Pro Bowler Tyler Smith from left guard to left tackle. But for now, the goal is to go with last year’s first-round pick Tyler Guyton at left tackle, Smith at left guard, Cooper Beebe at center, Booker at right guard and Terence Steele at right tackle.
“You may disagree with me, but I feel we were hanging around the rim, we were knocking at the door,” Jones said of those Cowboys teams with Frederick, Tyron Smith and Martin. “With the makeup that we have on our team and the players we’ve got right now, this is a very good way to try to get something big-time done in the next two or three years. This makes a lot of sense time-wise.”
Jerry Jones joking about picking another interior offensive lineman early in the draft: “You put (Tyler Smith with Cooper Beebe and Tyler Booker) in there and we might be able to tush push.” pic.twitter.com/ywMaykj6yq
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 25, 2025
Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s draft expert, had Booker graded as the top guard in this draft class, ranking him as the 24th player overall.
The Cowboys were interested in Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, which would’ve filled their need for a complement to star WR CeeDee Lamb. But he went four picks before Dallas was on the clock.
Dallas felt like the next best option was drafting Martin’s replacement.
“Our grades are very similar to what we had with Zack,” Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay said of Booker. “And then some of the character traits, there are a lot of things that are very similar. He’s his own individual but he’s a grown-ass man like Zack is. So you put someone in there that makes us stronger, more physical team.”
Booker (6-5, 321 pounds) primarily played left guard at Alabama. He played right tackle and left tackle in high school for powerhouse IMG Academy. The Cowboys aren’t worried about his ability to play right guard.
“It is something we don’t have any concerns about,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “He’s a damn good football player. Is there a little bit of a learning curve where they have to learn their stance and sets and things like that? Yeah, but at the end of the day, it’s football. You go one way really, really fast and if somebody gets in your way, you knock the s— out of them.
“We were thrilled about the young man, the power, the strength. When you sit down and visit with this guy, he’s an alpha. He knows what he wants. He knows how good he is. He knows how talented he is.”
Booker said he is more than comfortable making the switch to the right side.
“I’m just going to get to work,” he added. “Wherever you put me on a football field I’m going to be ready to get after it. I’m going to be ready to go. It doesn’t matter if I’m at left guard, right guard, right tackle, center, slot receiver, running back. It don’t matter. I’m going to give you my all.”
During Tuesday’s news conference, McClay said that an important part of the pre-draft evaluation for all of the prospects the Cowboys scouted was finding players who love football.
What makes them confident that Booker meets that criteria?
“You see it on the tape, No. 1,” McClay said. “And then you get it from the school and the people that have experienced him. Then our scouts spend individual time with him. Then we saw him at the combine. Then we got him in here. You get him on the phone. You find out more and more about what type of determination he has, where he comes from. The things that helps build your team is when you have a great leader like Dak, you surround him with great players that have the same mentality. It gives us a shot, and this kid has got that.”
(Photo: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)