Tyler Booker Reacts to Dallas Cowboys Draft Selection

For his father William, Tyler getting drafted was a moment he expected to happen since before the guard was even born.

When William and Tyler's mother, Tashona, we're looking to decide the name of their first son, William was influenced by a coworker who had named his newborn Tyler.

When William thought of the name "Tyler Booker," he thought it sounded like the name of a successful football player.

"My dad manifested this day," Booker said.

William was all in on the name. Tashona wasn't nearly as concerned about what profession the name may imply.

"He called my mom," Booker explained, "She was like, 'Yeah. Whatever. I like it. It's cool.' And then he took it and ran with it."

After hugging his parents, he turned to forklift his former quarterback, Jalen Milroe through the green room underneath the NFL draft stage. Booker laughed like a little kid through it all.

Milroe might've not expected to be carried through like Booker ended up doing, but Jalen has certainly learned Booker is capable of mauling human bodies like that. The first-team All-American protects his quarterback and creates running lanes through sheer force. He plays a brutal brand of football.

"What you see on play one is what you're going to see on play eight," Booker said to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine. I'm always trying to finish you. I'm always trying to put you on your back. I'm always trying to take a little bit of your soul away."

Once Booker displaced Milroe, he went on a joyride to the draft stage, dancing, saying hi to Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart, slapping the Cowboys logo on the wall before bear hugging NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Though Swiss Army Knife Travis Hunter also involved some dancing in his celebration, Booker' rampage was one of a kind.

In Dallas, Booker is looking to celebrate his uniqueness in a similar way.

Booker is set to be the replacement for Zack Martin as the Cowboy's right guard. It will be big shoes for Booker to fill as Martin announced his retirement in February after 11 seasons with the team, seven of which he won first-team All-Pro recognition in.

The pressure of being asked to immediately take over for one of the greatest of all time at the position could be a burden.

But Booker's goal isn't to be Zack Martin. It's to be himself as a player and person.

"I would be doing me and the Cowboys a disservice if I come in and try to be those guys," Booker said.

Booker felt that individuality embraced in the Cowboys' culture. When he walked into his visit with the team, new head coach Brian Schottenheimer was dancing to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody." In that moment, Booker decided he was a fan of Schottenheimer.

Booker recognizes the trust he first has to earn amongst the locker room, and develop as a player. In that process, he doesn't plan to pretend to be somebody else. Or to aspire to a playing style that doesn't fit him.

He's only looking to be his authentic self that shined in the moment his dreams came true.

"I'm gonna bring Tyler Booker.

Me being me has got me to where I've been this far."

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