Mel Kiper Labels Cowboys’ First Round Pick ‘Really Iffy’

With the twelfth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys selected Tyler Booker, an offensive guard from Alabama.

While all Cowboys fans can agree guard was a position of need, the fanbase in unsure of whether 12 was too high in the draft to address it. ESPN’s lead draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. shares their concerns.

“This was a reach for need,” Kiper wrote. “The Cowboys were 24th in pass block win rate last season, and Zack Martin retired. I get it. Dallas obviously wanted an immediate replacement at right guard, and Booker is a good player…”

The talent of the young offensive lineman has never been a question, but the concern lies in the intricacies at play in the NFL Draft.

“The value is just really iffy,” Kiper continued. “He barely clipped my final top 25, and he plays a nonpremium position on the interior offensive line… I would have gone another direction here.”

Top Talent Available At Twelve

Its hard to argue with Mel when you look at the board at the time.

“Matthew Golden was on the board, and the Cowboys have a big hole at WR2 opposite CeeDee Lamb,” Kiper critiqued. “Omarion Hampton was on the board, and the Cowboys had a dreadful run game last season.”

One player Kiper neglected to mention, Penn State’s tight end Tyler Warren. Considered a blue chip prospect and a top three player in the entire draft, Warren was not selected until three picks later by the Indianapolis Colts.

For arguments sake, it is also worth mentioning hat Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka was also on the board. The prospect’s rankings varied from WR1 to a day two pick. He was selected 19th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Reuter Gives Selection A B+

Though the media has not been kind to the Cowboys in the 24 hours since the decision, NFL.com’s Chad Reuter is fan of the pick.

“Dallas needed to replace a leader on the offensive line after Zack Martin’s retirement, and Booker fits that description,” wrote Reuter.

His analysis went much deeper than surface level, as the writer praised Booker’s skill set.

“Booker’s intelligence and toughness should help the Cowboys’ running game right away,” Reuter continued. “He’s been a sturdy pass protector, too, as college defenders found it difficult to get around his wide frame. He did not impress in pre-draft athletic testing, however, so he’ll have to show those numbers are not predictive of how he’ll handle NFL speed.”

Booker comes from a long storied program as a former captain for the Alabama Crimson Tide. A duo at The Athletic writes that the guard will be a day one starter for the Cowboys, and a good one at that.

“He’s a guard-only, but a potentially terrific one who is powerful enough to help both the center and tackle playing next to him,” wrote Saad Yousuf and Cale Clinton. “Dallas has done a nice job of evaluating talent along the offensive line in recent years and Booker should be able to come in and make an impact quickly. Booker started as a true freshman at Alabama and grew into a leader in Tuscaloosa as well.”