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Why Tyler Booker sees 'very bright' future for Alabama football offensive line
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Why Tyler Booker sees 'very bright' future for Alabama football offensive line
Tyler Booker has not made his NFL decision. That is coming for the Alabama football left guard after the Crimson Tide 's ReliaQuest Bowl appearance vs. Michigan .
But no matter if Booker stays or leaves, one fact remains:
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"The future of the Alabama offensive line room is very bright," Booker said.
Booker did not leave the field much in 2024. The first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American by multiple outlets played 715 snaps without allowing a sack.
But more Alabama offensive linemen got more experience than you'd think. Even with those one-snap reps after someone's helmet popped off, Booker said there's "no substitute for in-game reps."
Who will make a major impact for the Alabama football offensive line in 2025? The first name that comes to Booker's mind is right tackle Wilkin Formby .
Nov 16, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Wilkin Formby (75) warms up before the game with Mercer at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News
"He's grown a lot this year," Booker said. "He had a rough start, but as the season went on, he's grown a lot. He's gotten better, very focused, and he still has a long way to go, but he's a guy that I could see bring a big part of the offensive line next year."
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Booker also mentioned freshmen guards William Sanders , who the junior called "physically gifted" as Sanders gains experience and confidence, Joseph Ionata and Casey Poe along with redshirt freshman Roq Montgomery as players to watch in 2025.
Booker said he's also seen clips and heard from coaches at IMG Academy, his former high school football program about "how physical and dominant" 2025 five-star offensive lineman Michael Carroll is.
No matter where Booker is in 2025, he said he's excited to see all the young offensive linemen "grow and take advantage of the opportunity that they're going to have next year."
It's a process Booker said began in 2024 even if its something Crimson Tide fans don't see.
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"When people sit at home on Twitter and talk about 'Oh, that guy sucks, that guy sucks,' they've never played a college football snap before, right?" Booker said. "And they don't understand what it really takes. So for some of these younger guys to get reps in, to learn what it takes and get on-job experience, there's no substitute for that."
Alabama will face Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl at 11 a.m. CT Dec. 31 on ESPN.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Tyler Booker sees 'very bright' future for Alabama football offensive line
