Alabama guard Tyler Booker made his case Saturday not only as the top guard prospect in the draft class, but the top offensive lineman overall.
What sets him apart? His mindset and approach.
"I love football because the brand of football I play," Booker said on Saturday. "I make guys not love football anymore."
He later added: "My tenacity and my relentlessness makes me the best offensive lineman in this class. What you see on play one is what you're going to see on play eight. I'm always trying to finish, I'm always trying to put you on your back."
Booker took the podium at the Combine on Saturday, one of the many offensive linemen to speak to the media for the first time.
The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Booker was a First-Team All-American by multiple outlets and became touted as the top guard prospect of the draft because of his prowess as a run blocker.
Safe to say, blocking the run is one of his favorite things to do.
"I love how physical it is," Booker said about run blocking. "I feel like that's one of my strong suits. I'm able to put my weight, my power on people and it wears down on you after a while."
Booker was still strong in the pass game however, allowing zero sacks in 353 pass blocking snaps last season according to Pro Football Focus.
He's excited about what he can provide in the NFL as a pass blocker, as he believes his preparation is something that sets him apart.
"I feel like I can contribute in the pass game at the NFL level, at a high level," Booker said. "If you look at my tape, you can see me passing off games, calling out games beforehand and that's due to my preparation throughout the week.
"I really take pride in how I prepare for the games and how well I prepare for stunts because that's something really trickles down," Booker added.
Booker has also been lauded for his leadership by many draft pundits, as he was a team captain and one of the leaders of the entire team, not just the offense.
And in Indianapolis, Booker said teams wanted to know more about how it translates to the NFL.
"They're really interested in my leadership," Booker said. "That's something I've heard from every team I've spoke to. They want to know how my leadership will fit into their program, if I'd be comfortable leading in a room while being the youngest guy.
"My response to them was I have to earn the right to lead," Booker continued. "I'm not going to walk in Day 1 and tell a 33-year-old with two kids, a wife and a mortgage what to do, that's just unrealistic.
"But I will learn from him and everybody else in that program to see how I can contribute as a leader," Booker added. "Once I start playing, once I cement myself in that starting lineup, that's when I'll start to lead and really take over from that standpoint."
The Alabama guard is NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah’s 13th ranked prospect, while he's The Athletic Dane Brugler’s 18th.
Booker has been one of the prospects projected to the Bolts in recent mock drafts, and Jeremiah said if he was available at No. 22 overall, that would be the ideal pick for the Chargers.
"That would be a run the card up for me," Jeremiah said during a recent conference call.
Here are some top quotes from offensive line prospects who spoke Saturday.
OT Armand Membou, Missouri
On potentially moving to guard:
"I think my figure, you know, at tackle, you have to be a little more athletic to handle those that speed off the edge. So if I were to get moved inside the guard, it's bigger body, so it's going to help me overpower them with my athleticism."
On what he notices when studying pass rushers:
"I would say the biggest thing is just their body type and who they are as a pass rusher. And then I just like to see their favorite moves, what they do the most, and then also what wins too, what gets them home."
OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
On how the Senior Bowl helped him:
"It was an awesome week. Just getting back in pads and playing football again was a great feeling. The opportunity to go down to an all-star game, compete against high-level competition, and showcase who I am as a player was really valuable. The Senior Bowl does a great job of setting up a competitive environment, and I feel like I had a pretty good week down there."
On what sets him apart coming from smaller school:
"Yeah, I've heard that a lot throughout this process. But going down to the Senior Bowl and competing well against top talent just goes to show that football is football. Everyone puts on the shoulder pads the same way. Everyone bleeds red. If you're a good football player, teams are going to find you, no matter where you played."
OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
On his mindset heading into the NFL Draft:
"There's going to be a lot of holes in some teams, and if you just kind of have to step up to the plate and put the team first."
G Marcus Mbow, Purdue
On what side he would feel stronger at if he had to play guard:
"I played guard a couple years, but I'd probably be fine either way. Probably on the right side, just because I've been playing right the past couple seasons, but I'll be fine wherever."
On what part of his game best translates to the NFL:
"My quickness and explosiveness help me the most. My knowledge of the game, having that extra second, not having to think about something because I know it's coming."
C Jared Wilson, Georgia
On the strongest part of his game:
"It's definitely my path, protection. I feel like I got stronger. People say I have short arms, but I feel like my arms are pretty long. I got a strong grip. I got a good base to sit down on the bullrushes."
On what sets him apart:
"I think my chemistry. I think I'm a very, very vocal, understandable person. I get along with everybody. I can connect with anybody. I just and I love people. I love talking, not very shy. I go up to anybody. So I definitely bring a chemistry. Chemistry to the locker room, pretty versatile. Wherever the team needs me, they need me to run down on punt."
