Mario Goodrich NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Clemson CB

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HEIGHT: 6’0″

WEIGHT: 190

POSITIVES

— Plays with very good vision in zone coverage. He is able to see routes develop in front of him and has a good reaction to the ball in the air.

— He has good breaking ability and plays with a solid base and a controlled backpedal, allowing him to transition quickly.

— Shows to have good ball skills, Locates the ball well and has the ability to play it in the air.

— Strong tackler who isn’t afraid to bite the ball on tackles and square up the ball carrier.

NEGATIVES

— Slightly above-average athlete with rigid movements at times. Lacks fluidity and has hip tightness when asked to flip hips.

— Heavy-footed runner who lacks a true burst, allowing receivers to create space downfield.

— Has average awareness of threats, can lose leverage and get turned around at times.

— Panics when running downfield, not as comfortable as you’d like him to be. He gets handsy at times, leading to penalties.

2021 STATISTICS

42 Tackles, 2 INT, 9 PBU, 1 FF

NOTES

— First-year starter who has played in 31 games in his career.

OVERALL

Mario Goodrich is a physical cornerback who primarily plays the boundary cornerback position for the Clemson defense. He likes to get his hands on the receiver to reroute and disrupt the timing of routes. Though he has shown to play from a backpedal, he more often than not plays from an open shuffle technique; which better fits his skill set. An above-average athlete who displays rigid movement at times, Goodrich struggles with hip tightness and the ability to turn and run. Although he does a good job of getting out of breaks with clean, quick transitions, he does this best when already open and with the route in front of him. A smart player, he shows the understanding of routes and combinations, especially when playing down and distance; leading him to play very aggressively when given over-the-top help. He also looks to sit on routes, which has not particularly burned him during the 2021 season. Goodrich has the ball skills needed to compete, playing through the reception point and attacking the ball in the air; especially when playing short and medium routes. He struggles with routes developing downfield, as he lacks the speed needed to keep up with those running deeper routes. When running downfield, he tends to get handsy and overly physical, which can lead to penalties.

When playing the run game, Goodrich has shown quick reads and reaction to what he sees. He makes quick work of blockers, getting to the ball carrier with clear lanes and good leverage. Though he isn’t afraid of mixing it up in the run game, he often stops his feet on contact, choosing to wrap up and take the brunt of collisions. Overall, Goodrich’s lack of speed downfield and subpar man skills are the ultimate question to his pass coverage game. Because of this, he would best fit a zone scheme where he will be given help over the top and be allowed to play routes with eyes on the quarterback. Goodrich is a potential role player with the ability to compete for a starter role a few years into his career.

GRADE: 6.5 (4th Round- Potential Role Player)

PRO COMPARISON: Levi Wallace

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings