One of the phrases the Dallas Cowboys love to use is “position flex.” They value players who can contribute at multiple positions and there are several players on the roster who have started games at different positions. The most famous example is Tyler Smith, who was drafted to be a left guard but played his entire rookie season at left tackle. Now, he’s back at left guard, and he might be the best player at his position in the entire NFL.
That’s what made the Tyler Booker selection at No. 12 during the 2025 NFL Draft so interesting. Booker was primarily a left guard only at Alabama and the Cowboys have a strong history of selecting college left tackles (Zack Martin, Tyler Smith, Connor Williams, Cooper Beebe, etc.) and then moving them inside. With Booker playing only guard at Alabama, it sure doesn’t seem like there are many options for moving him around.
However, that might not be the case as it’s worth pointing out that Booker started one game at left tackle during his final year at Alabama. In a recent article by ESPN, they spoke with Booker’s college coach (Kalen DeBoer) and asked him about Booker’s future in the NFL.
Cowboys may have themselves a future star in Tyler Booker
Here is a snippet of what he had to say about the All-American guard:
" "Thinking ahead down the road, I don't think it's so far-fetched that if he gets in the league for a couple of years, he couldn't become a tackle. I think he's such a versatile player. He can play inside. I know he could snap the ball and play center, from how smart he is. He'll pour himself into whatever it is.""Kalen DeBoer, Alabama HC via ESPN
Booker clearly has the size and length to play tackle in the NFL, but his lack of foot quickness could be an issue over time. However, the fact that his college coach believes he has the ability to play there should ease some concerns about his athleticism in the NFL.
The more interesting note is that DeBoer believes he could play center at the next level and the idea of playing him next to Tyler Smith for the next several years is fascinating.
The expectation is that Booker will be the team’s starting right guard during the 2025 season, but there is a possibility the Cowboys could shuffle things around on the offensive line to get their best five out on the field. That might mean moving Tyler Smith to left tackle and keeping Booker at left guard. Or it might mean that Booker could be the starting center with Beebe kicking over to right guard to give them some more athleticism.
It’ll be fascinating to see how it all shakes out, but don’t discount Booker’s versatility and how that could impact the offensive line for the Dallas Cowboys moving forward.