The Dallas Cowboys made a huge trade-up in the first round of the NFL Draft's Day 1. However, one person in the building knew exactly what the Cowboys were getting when they drafted Caleb Downs with the 11th overall pick.

On April 24, 2026, Nick Harris of the Star-Telegram reported that Tyler Booker, an offensive guard for the Cowboys, messaged head coach Brian Schottenheimer right after Dallas picked Downs with a four-word message.

"This guy is different."

Booker, who played with Downs at Alabama in 2023, gave that endorsement not as a formality but because he believed in his defensive capabilities.

Booker posted a 72.0 PFF grade across 14 games in his rookie season, earning a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie team.

Whereas, Downs received unanimous All-American in 2024 and 2025. He became the sixth player in Ohio State Buckeyes' history to receive the honor twice.

Downs also won the 2025 Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy for his final season. He finished his collegiate career with 257 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, six interceptions, and 11 pass breakups across 44 starts.

Those numbers came while Downs captained a defense that ranked first nationally in total defense, scoring defense, passing defense, and rushing defense in 2025.

A storied collegiate resume like Downs' puts full context behind what Booker already knew from sharing a sideline with him two years earlier.

As Downs looks forward to solidify the Cowboys' secondary defense this year, they wanted more leadership on the offensive line and they got it by drafting Booker No. 12 overall last year.

Cowboys Drafted Alabama's Tyler Booker to Anchor Offensive Line

Tyler Booker came from Alabama as a player whose leadership skills were just as important as his blocking performance.

Throughout his three-year collegiate career, teammates, coaches, and analysts all noticed how he carried himself in the locker room.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer put that reputation into sharp focus with a story from Alabama's final game. 

"Alabama played Michigan in the Reliaquest Bowl on Dec. 31 and, as work in Florida commenced for the Tide and a practice concluded, Tyler Booker called his teammates up and told them that anyone considering opting out of the game would have to go through him first,”  Breer wrote.

Breer also said that Booker helped coaches get JC Latham back on track last season. Latham got a lot better and was picked seventh overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2024 NFL Draft.

This offseason, Dallas lost their franchise leader when OT Zack Martin retired. However, the Cowboys might have found their right replacement in Booker, based on his performance in his rookie season.

With the Cowboys drafting safety Caleb Downs and edge Malachi Lawrence in the first round, America's Team are looking forward to bolster their defence and make an immediate impact in the upcoming season.

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Written by

Abhay Bharti

Edited by

Rishab Nandi