2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Alabama OG Tyler Booker

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Alabama OG Tyler Booker.

#52 Tyler Booker/OG Alabama – 6’5, 325 pounds (Junior)

MEASUREMENTS

The Good

– Excellent play strength
– Great strength moving downhill
– Powerful arms to move defenders
– Great grip strength; when he gets hands on, the rep is over
– Displays good ability getting to the second level
– Excellent anchor, does not get pushed back vs bull rush
– Strong use of hands snuffs out handsy rushers
– Strong ability to fit hands inside
– Great help in pass protection on double teams
– Will thrive in a heavy gap scheme and some inside zone due to great power
– Great technique run blocking and in pass protection
– Craves contact as a puller
– Powerful punch that immediately kills pass rushers
– Smart player who handles stunts well
– Good body positioning in gap scheme
– Great recovery after losing a step
– Bullies defenders down the field
– Drives defenders to the ground on multiple occasions

The Bad

– Overall, average movement skills
– Slow mover when pulling or in wide zone
– Could struggle in a heavy outside zone scheme
– Lacks speed pulling and can whiff on blocks in space
– Can whiff on quick gap switches from assignment in run game
– Bad play speed in space

Bio

– Started 25 games at left guard and 1 game at left tackle across three years at Alabama
– 2024: 0 sacks, 3 QB hits, and 7 hurries in 395 pass block snaps
– Named Second Team All-America (Athletic)
– Selected to First Team All-SEC
– Named 2024 Preseason First Team All-American (ESPN)
– 2023: 2 sacks, 2 QB hits, and 11 hurries in 409 pass block snaps
– Missed one game vs USF due to back spasms
– Given Second Team All-SEC honors (Coaches)
– Named 2023 Preseason All-American (ESPN)
– 2022: 0 sacks, 2 QB this, and 3 hurries in 231 pass block snaps
– Appeared in 12 games as a freshman, rotating at the guard spots
– Started the Sugar Bowl at left guard
– 5-star prospect and No. 10 player on the ESPN300 out of IMG Academy
– Tabbed the No. 5 player in the Southeast Region
– Selected to Under Armour All-America Game
– Chose Alabama over Florida, Georgia, and Ohio State
– Booker’s goal after retirement is to go back to New Haven, Connecticut, and revamp the football programs

Tape Breakdown

Tyler Booker’s play strength is the best I have seen in this draft class, and he wins using power as a run blocker and a pass protector. When he is a downhill blocker, he moves people easily and can quickly finish reps when he gets his hands on. His grip strength is like a vice grip; defenders cannot seem to shake him when he gets attached. The aggressiveness he plays with is intense and violent, and oftentimes, defenders stand no chance of getting around him. Instead, they try to bull rush, but his anchor is too strong to give up any ground. Booker will be best used in a heavy gap scheme offense with some inside zone, and coaches will love to see him powerfully block people down the field. On this QB power, he displays perfect body positioning and great play strength to move this defender over to give a lane to run through.

Booker is strong at chipping and getting to the second level on duo runs and can be seen finishing those reps by pancaking a smaller defender. He punished defenders who did not have a strong lower body by putting them on the ground as if it was not a big deal. He also has great recovery, and if he gets beat a step (which rarely happens), he can adjust quickly by using brute force to put people on the ground.

What worries me about Booker is his play speed, and his feet move rather slowly for an NFL guard. I do not think he will be great in a heavy outside zone scheme, and while he seeks out contact as a puller, he can sometimes whiff when quicker defenders are in his way. He takes too long to get to his assignment on counter plays and pin-pull runs. I am not confident he can beat the ball carrier to the edge. On this play, Booker is slow getting to his spot, and while he does not give up anything because it is a trick play, it shows that he can be slow-moving in space.

Teams will have to avoid using these types of runs multiple times in a game and stick with what Booker is amazing at: going downhill at the defense.

As a pass protector, Booker is plug-and-play and can handle any type of rush. The anchor he plays with will not allow anyone to bull rush, and he has the perfect technique to handle powerful rushers. The way he punches defenders in the perfect spot can shock them and kill their pass rush immediately. Booker also does a great job of fighting with his hands, so if they do not fit inside, he will always try and get them there to limit penalties. He is also a very smart player and is seen handling stunts very well. On this play, he displays perfect technique when handling this 3 technique and then helps out his tackle on the stunt.

Against pass rushers who use a lot of hands, Booker has no problem chopping their hands away and getting them in his control. The smaller rushers have no chance of getting by him using a spin or swim move because of his disciplined feet and trust in his strength. Against this big pass rusher who tries to move Booker’s hands out of the way, he uses his calm feet and strong upper body to put him in control.

Conclusion

Tyler Booker has amazing play strength that will make him an immediate starter for any team he gets drafted to. He wins with calmness and confidence all the time, and his vice grip hands control defenders immediately. While he does not have the fastest movement skills, the power he possesses makes him a great addition to a heavy gap scheme or inside zone offense. My comp for him is O’Cyrus Torrence.

Projection: Late Day 1
Depot Draft Grade: 9.0 – First Round (Year 1 Quality Starter)
Games Watched: vs Georgia (2024), vs South Carolina (2024), at Tennessee (2024), vs Missouri (2024), at Oklahoma (2024)