There is perhaps no player in the 2025 NFL Draft class, apart from maybe Ashton Jeanty at RB, who is as far ahead of the rest of the pack at his position as Alabama’s Tyler Booker at guard. He is the highest-rated guard by ESPN, The Athletic, and Pro Football Focus. He is the only pure guard ranked in the top 40 by ESPN, the top 50 by NFL.com, the top 90 by PFF, and the top 100 by The Athletic.
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Simply put, if a team needs a guard in the 2025 NFL Draft, they’ll be vying for Booker. And it’s not even close. He was a two-time First-Team All-SEC selection in 2023 and 2024 and earned First-Team All-American honors in 2024. He also posted the 10th-best PFF pass-blocking grade among guards last year.
Booker is a rare guard who excels more in pass protection than in run blocking. That makes him a very interesting prospect because his 6’5″, 321-pound frame (not to mention his 6’10” wingspan) would suggest a mauler in the run game. He is definitely a mauler, as evidenced by 87 knockdown blocks last year, but he needs refinement overall in the running game.
He has shown the versatility to not only shift over to tackle and still perform, but also excel in two different offensive schemes. He’s been playing high-level SEC ball for three years, which means he’s ready to come in and contribute right away as a rock-solid pass blocker with massive potential to make an impact in the run game with proper coaching.
At the moment, Tyler Booker is projected to be a mid- to late first-round pick on April 24. So, who could be in for the best guard available?
3) Cincinnati Bengals – No. 17 overall pick
Since 2021, when Joe Burrow took the reins in Cincy following a rookie season lost to injury, the Bengals QB has been sacked 164 times (or 41 per season), which is the second-most behind Russell Wilson.
Considering they have committed approximately 33 percent of their salary cap in 2025 and 2026 and 34 percent in 2027 to the trio of Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, they need to find some protection for Burrow on the cheap. That’s where Booker comes in.
His specialty is already pass pro, so he’s kind of exactly what they need in the interior. Cincinnati had the fourth-worst pass-blocking unit last year, per PFF, as well as the literal two worst-rated guards in the NFL in terms of pass-blocking: Alex Cappa at 39.7, and Cordell Volson at 49.4. The Bengals are sitting in just the right spot at No. 17 to nab Booker as well.
2) New Orleans Saints – No. 9 overall pick
The Saints had the worst pass-blocking unit in the league last year, according to PFF, with a 51.7 overall grade. While Cesar Ruiz is a reliable presence at right guard, the left guard position—which is where Tyler Booker played over 90 percent of his snaps in 2024—was a bit of an issue for the Saints.
In true pass sets, Landon Young managed just a 30.0 PFF grade. The other member of the platoon, Lucas Patrick, had a 46.0 grade. The Saints are picking at No. 9, which is a little high, so they could trade back into the middle of the first round, likely picking up some Day 2 capital while also snagging a cornerstone for their interior line in Booker.
1) New England Patriots – No. 4 overall pick
This one is a little more unlikely unless the Patriots choose to trade back up into the first round. There’s no way they won’t use the No. 4 overall pick on one of the top five prospects. If Booker falls, the Patriots could swipe him at the start of the second round. And if he doesn’t, they could trade up like we mentioned. Much like the Saints, the Patriots have a solid player in Mike Onwenwu at right guard.
Booker would be a massive improvement over Michael Jordan, who played most of the snaps at left guard last year, though he saw none of the success his NBA namesake mustered. New England needs to get weapons for Drake Maye, but shoring up his protection is arguably even more important.
