Was Tyler Booker surprised to be selected by Dallas Cowboys so early in NFL draft?
The former All-American guard and Crimson Tide team captain was the No. 12 overall pick of the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys and was the first guard selected as a first-round pick since 2022.
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But in an interview with "The Next Round" on April 28, Booker made it clear he was not shocked to be such a high first-round pick despite mock drafts placing him either later in the first round or even in the second.
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"No, I wasn't surprised that I went as high as I did," Booker said "It's something I have been working on my whole life. I know what I bring to a team, and what some of the 'experts' aren't privy to are how well I do in the classroom, how well I do on the board and my leadership and what I bring to the team. So the Cowboys didn't just draft a right guard that is going to come in and play after on of the greatest guards of all time. They also drafted a great leader, someone who is going to change their culture, someone who is going to improve their culture, improve their program and improve their team for years to come or however long the Lord sees fit."
With Booker's pick, Alabama secured its 17th-straight draft with at least one first-round selection.
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Booker and Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell (No. 31 Philadelphia Eagles) were both first-round picks and two of seven Crimson Tide players picked in the 2025 draft.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Tyler Booker talks NFL draft first round pick by Dallas Cowboys
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