For the third time in four years on Thursday night, the Dallas Cowboys drafted an offensive lineman named Tyler in the first round of the NFL Draft. It was tackle Tyler Smith (now at guard) in 2022, tackle Tyler Guyton in 2024, and with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they selected Alabama guard Tyler Booker.
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They’re clearly taking a page out of the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles’ playbook—as many other teams did, with eight offensive linemen in total selected in the first round—and building their team through the trenches. That is the smart way to do it. However, they can’t try and imitate Philly too closely. However, Jerry Jones hinted they might do just that at the team’s post-first-round presser.
The owner/general manager, now 82, suggested that with Booker, who stands 6’5″ and 325 pounds, alongside Tyler Smith and center Cooper Beebe in the middle of that offensive line, they could take a shot at running the Eagles’ patented tush push play.
“Put him in there with that big Beebe and put him in with Tyler, and we might be able to tush push.”
Jones was clearly excited about the pick, but it was hard to tell if he was being serious about the whole tush push thing or just having a laugh with the media members in attendance. It’s smart to follow the Eagles’ lead when it comes to roster construction, but using their playbook might be a step too far.
After all, there is a reason many teams are vying to have the play banned this season. Only the Eagles seem to be able to use it effectively. The Buffalo Bills were the only other team that had sustained success with it. That’s down to the offensive line, but also to having a big, strong quarterback who can take some hits and keep pushing.
As many Redditors pointed out, that’s not who the Cowboys have at QB. Dak Prescott is mobile, but he isn’t known for his running ability. He’s also had three major injuries in the last five years.
That’s why one fan cautioned, “I think that would break every bone in Dak’s body“. A fan of an opposing team concurred: “Just wait until Dak gets injured trying to execute this play. Hurts is a freakin power lifter ffs…truly hope Jerruh lives to be 110….”
Another laughed Jerry Jones’ comment off as “Ah the old ‘If you can’t beat em join em’ strategy“. However, as another remarked, it might not be Prescott who is doing the tush pushing: “The Joe Milton trade is making more sense for the Cowboys now.”
Milton is a physical monster at 6’5″ and about 250 pounds. He would be the perfect player for the tush push. He could be their short-yardage specialist. Some might say that’s giving away the game. But the tush push is a pretty obvious play when teams are setting up to run it.
If this means Jones is against banning the tush push and it does remain a part of the NFL game in 2025, that fifth-round pick they shipped to the New England Patriots for Milton could look like a bargain.
