Definitely, it’s a good feeling to coach a powerhouse like the Alabama Crimson Tide. But nobody talks about the pressure that comes with it. And who knows it better than Kalen DeBoer? He had to fit in GOAT Nick Saban’s shoes. While he tried his level best to keep the Crimson Tide boat afloat, maybe it’s a long way for DeBoer to go to reach Saban’s pedestal. And that became even clearer during the NFL Draft. This year, seven players from the Tuscaloosa camp found their homes in the pro league. The first one to land in the NFL was the Crimson Tide’s 21-year-old offensive guard. And guess who got the credit along with the player? No, not the present head coach, DeBoer, but Saban. After all, it was the GOAT who spotted the talent in the young chap back in 2022.
Since 2009, Alabama has produced 123 draft picks, the most by any college football program during that span. With seven former Alabama players going in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Crimson Tide has had at least seven selections in the NFL Draft for 14 straight years. Yes, that’s how they have maintained the streak. This year, the first one to go off Bama’s shelves to the pro league has been Tyler Booker, who has been the $10 million Dallas Cowboys’ No.12 pick. This selection marked their production of a Crimson Tide first-rounder along the offensive line in six of the last seven years. Now, it’s time to swallow a bitter pill. The success behind any of this can’t be given to DeBoer when he has replaced someone like Saban.
Tyler Booker
Source- Instagram
After all, the 7-time national championship-winning head coach spent a significant 17 years coaching at Alabama. Being there in Tuscaloosa for more than a decade, he has put in his blood, sweat, and tears over these years to build the program to what it is today, feeding them a winner’s mentality. Now that Booker flies off to the NFL, Mick Gillispie and former Alabama quarterback Jake Coker talked about how talented the offensive guard has been. On the April 26th episode of the Cover Crimson podcast, Coker highlighted Booker’s loyalty. “He’s stuck it out in Alabama. I’m sure the NIL opportunities were pretty huge to go somewhere else when Coach Saban left.”
Somehow, this came off as a surprise, as many talented players refused to trust DeBoer and swapped wagons as soon as Saban hit the doors. As the former Crimson Tide player continued to praise Booker, DeBoer’s name didn’t even come up. He highlighted how the offensive guard seems to share leadership qualities with Jalen Milroe, noting that you won’t hear anyone say a bad word about him. “He is one of those guys like Jalen Milroe who keeps us relevant for his leadership at Alabama. I doubt that there’s really any NFL scout that looks at Tyler Booker and says ‘he may be a liability.’ You’re not going to find anybody say that,” the former player emphasized.
Booker has been a dominant force on the offensive line, recording a team-high 92 knockdown blocks across 778 snaps. This earned him a “captain” tag. So, what did Booker’s old mentor say about his old student?
Tyler Booker keeps the IMG Academy legacy alive
On Thursday, April 24, the $10 million NFL giant drafted Booker. Soon after, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban shared his take on the Cowboys’ move. “This guy is a fantastic young man. He’s smart and you talk about a good leader, very physical, very tough, gets movement in the run—that’s why people like him so much. This guy has got tremendous muscle mass, which I think is very important to being a power player in the NFL.” Booker played for Saban in his freshman and sophomore years at Alabama. Maybe that’s when he left a mark in Saban’s heart.
The guard started in 26 of the 38 games that he played over the course of his college career. As a junior, Booker was named a First-Team All-American. His first lifestyle change came when he left New Haven for Bradenton. It was the home of the IMG Academy Ascenders, where he played his high school football. It’s now time for Booker to hit yet another upgrade, but he kept the IMG Academy’s legacy alive.
According to IMG Academy’s official website, 21 players have played for the Ascenders and been drafted into the NFL. Now that we got a glimpse of his college days, what about the times when he played in high school?
247Sports’ Andrew Ivins got it covered. “A big man that’s all of 6-foot-5. Carries 325 pounds better than most. The voice and leader of IMG Academy. Initially viewed himself as a defensive lineman before making the full-time transition to the offensive side of the ba- -. The type of blocker that likes to play well through the whistle.” The spotlight’s on, and it’s Tyler Booker’s time to hustle hard for his roots.
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