Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: Bama’s ‘powerful’ guard has 1 concern

If the Seattle Seahawks address their interior offensive line early in the NFL Draft, there’s no question who would be the most powerful and imposing force.

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That distinction belongs to Alabama guard Tyler Booker, who has a massive 6-foot-5, 321-pound frame with 34 1/2-inch arms and 11-inch hands.

However, there’s one big question regarding Booker’s fit with the Seahawks: Does he have enough speed and athleticism for new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s zone-blocking scheme?

That’s the dilemma former NFL quarterback Brock Huard wrestled with while compiling his annual Seahawks Draft Profile series on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. He ended up putting Booker at No. 2 on his list.

“I think the floor is incredibly high on Booker,” Huard said. “Incredibly high. I don’t think there is any chance in the world he is going to be a bad NFL player. The question is, is he going to be an elite guy? Does he have enough athleticism?”

Size, power and leadership

Booker is ranked by ESPN as the second-best guard in the draft, behind only North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel. In most mock drafts, he’s projected to go either in the latter half of the first round or early in the second round. That makes him an option for Seattle at No. 18 overall.

Booker was a two-year starter at Alabama, with 25 of his 26 career starts coming at left guard. He was a first-team All-SEC selection and second-team All-American this past season. He was incredibly stout in pass protection, not allowing a single sack in 370 pass-blocking opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus.

“He is a gigantic man,” Huard said. “… And when he gets his grip on you, he finishes you. When push comes to shove, we know what you need.

“And I think what (new Seahawks quarterback) Sam Darnold needs and what he didn’t have in Minnesota – you need that ability to anchor (in pass protection).”

Booker also has received rave reviews for his leadership. Among those praising him was Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, who made an appearance on Brock and Salk last week to discuss some of the Crimson Tide’s top draft prospects.

“This guy is one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around,” DeBoer said. “And he can do it because he puts the work in, and so there’s no hypocritical piece to it when he’s asking for everything out of the people around him.

“He has a mindset that you absolutely would love, Brock, as the quarterback. You want those guys in front of you, the ones that are going to protect you, and it’s a personal thing if anyone’s even getting close to his quarterback. And so he plays to, and sometimes through, the whistle. … His effort and energy is contagious throughout not just (the) offensive line, but the entire team.”

The big question

That combination of size, power and leadership had Huard considering Booker for the No. 1 spot on his list of Seahawks Draft Profiles.

But ultimately, the concerns over Booker’s athleticism held him back.

Booker ran a 5.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which was the second-slowest of the 29 offensive linemen who ran at the event. He also had a 1.96-second 10-yard split, which was 0.09 seconds slower than any other offensive lineman.

In Kubiak’s zone-blocking scheme, the ability for linemen to get downfield and move is particularly important.

“The combine was the only reason we’re talking about this guy being available, because if it was back to December and it was just the game tape, (he was) top 10,” Huard said. “He’s a former five-star recruit. He just turned 21 in April. The upside is immense. You’re going to get his best football for the next three, four, five, six years. And he is a big, powerful finisher.

“There is zero concern about strain, effort, (being) physical and finishing in a dominant position,” Huard said. “The only concern is he was the slowest guy at the combine by a long way. So is there enough athleticism off the ball, enough twitch, enough movement?”

Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

Seattle Seahawks draft coverage

• Stacy Rost: 3 things to know about Seahawks heading into draft
• Brock Huard believes Seattle Seahawks will ‘move all over’ in draft
• Analyst: Why the Seattle Seahawks may not draft O-line in first round
• A full seven-round Seattle Seahawks mock draft – with three trades
• Daniel Jeremiah: The Seattle Seahawks’ ideal QB draft scenario

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