The Dallas Cowboys may have landed the league’s best guard duo, at least in the eyes of NFL coaches, executives and scouts.
ESPN’s rankings of the best guards and centers in the NFL, which were built from votes by league peers, put Tyler Smith at No. 1 and Tyler Booker in the honorable mentions. Dallas was the only team with two guards appearing between the top 10 and the honorable mentions.
Smith’s placement came with the kind of praise that makes the case easy to understand. One AFC executive called him a “Rare combination of size, athleticism, strength and finish,” and added, “He's like prime Jason Peters playing guard.”
Another AFC executive said of Smith, “He has more flash plays than anybody,” while an NFL coordinator described Booker as “Strong and athletic with physicality,”
Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler, being near the top of the list was hardly a shock. It only reinforces the value Dallas got from the former No. 24 overall pick.
Booker’s inclusion in the honorable mentions after his first NFL season stands out just as much. If he keeps trending the way he has, the Cowboys could have two guards in the top 10 on next year’s list.
Still, neither player escaped criticism.
Jeremy Fowler wrote that the “one knock on Smith” is that he “could stand to play under more control and more technically sound.”
“But his switch from tackle to guard is a factor there,” Fowler added.
Booker also drew a note from one unnamed coordinator, who said he “struggles a bit with guys that are good lateral movers.”
Smith’s penalty total may be tied to that issue. According to Pro Football Focus, he has been flagged 46 times in four NFL seasons, including 11 in 2025, the most among guards. He had 13 penalties in each of his first two seasons, dropped to nine in 2024, then climbed back to 11 last season.
That’s an area Dallas would love to see cleaned up, but Smith’s level of play gives the Cowboys plenty of reason to live with it.
Booker, meanwhile, gets the benefit of the doubt as he continues to develop. Even with the criticism, he’s already performing at a high level, and it hasn’t taken away from his overall game.
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