2022 Chiefs Draft Prospect: Mario Goodrich

Competitiveness

It is evident that Goodrich wants to infuse a physical brand of football. He answered the bell for Clemson over and over again against bigger bodied receivers. Goodrich displays a grinding mentality outside the numbers. Essentially meaning that, he is not afraid to make the game choppy, and does not worry about being technically savvy or flashy. He has had plenty of success in that regard, being able to frustrate opposing pass catchers. This is a player that could have transferred away from Clemson. But after receiving limited snaps early in his college career, Goodrich used his hard work to climb up the starting cornerback ladder for the Tigers.

Football IQ

Some of the things that Goodrich does in this area will not always jump off the screen. Overall, he wins most of the reps with subtle habits and effort. He routinely displayed excellent eye discipline for the football itself. Goodrich has also made an emphasis to keep opposing receivers or ball carriers towards his inside shoulder. The angles he takes in space are noticeably sharp. Furthermore, he proved he can quickly find the football in space, if need be. Goodrich’s trigger and processing speed in space is amazingly rapid.

Ball Skills

Due to his limited experience as a starter, Goodrich did not finish with a ton of ball production at Clemson. What he produced in 2021 was still stellar, however. His per-target numbers on the year were robust. With more playing time moving forward, it appears that Goodrich is rather durable in this area. This is all because of his stout nose for the football. He also has soft, natural hands and keeps those mitts tenacious at the catch point.

Length

Goodrich had success when clamping and squeezing downhill against opposing receivers. This is largely due to his sufficient length. Many NFL teams long for those extra inches on the outside. Many times, Goodrich used that to his advantage. He has consistently been able to throw the opponent off balance during their route. The same thing occurs when Goodrich presses at the line of scrimmage. He also infuriates quarterbacks by being able to clog up throwing lanes. Finally, that length can lead to a lack of focus when considering the opposing team’s ball security and being able to make clean catches.

Coverage Skills

This is an area where Goodrich will likely improve with more reps and as time goes on. In man coverage, he is efficient when playing press at the line of scrimmage. As mentioned above, he can frustrate opposing receivers early on during the route. Goodrich maintains solid leverage and can get in the opponent’s face when working down the field.

In zone coverage, his intelligence as a processor can be both positive and negative. Goodrich is quick to jump throwing lanes in front of him. Yet, he can sometimes become too focused on the ball and lose sight of his man. Goodrich showed sneaky good body positioning, though. And his focus on preserving his landmarks, allows him to recover in space, if need be.

Athleticism

There are still things that Goodrich is suffice at in this area. However, he is just not elite athletically. Goodrich will not be considered to have more athletic upside than most of the opponents that he is covering. Overall, he has above average short area quickness. Goodrich also appears comfortable when mirroring receivers one on one. More importantly, he remains under control and does not become stiff during his backpedal or in space.

Versatility

Goodrich is probably more versatile in his abilities, rather than his role on the team. He excels in both press man coverage and zone coverage. Inversely, Goodrich is not quite as successful in off-man coverage. He can likely handle any and all roles on special teams.

There is not as much versatility with what he can do from an alignment perspective. Goodrich is truly an outside only cornerback. There is also a belief that his traits are more scheme specific. Possibly, more playing time will allow him to wear more hats in a defense. Goodrich is not someone who appears to be scheme diverse at the moment, however.

CHIEFS FIT

The Kansas City Chiefs have two cornerbacks scheduled to be unrestricted free agents in 2022. One, Charvarius Ward, has obviously played many snaps over the last few years. His progression year after year has been crucial for the Chiefs passing defense. It may be difficult to re-sign him, with other needs on the team and likely interest from outside teams. The other cornerback set to be an UFA is Mike Hughes. He was used more sparingly this year in his lone campaign with KC. Results left much to be desired.

Not only is the need for cornerback ripe for the Chiefs, but there are also many items that make Goodrich a fit for his hometown team. He is long and physical, while also being tenacious at the catch point. These are all things that Steve Spagnuolo and this Kansas City team look for at outside cornerback. Moreover, his comfort and success in press man coverage are right in line with the Chiefs defensive scheme. His need for polish and development could also be of interest to Kansas City as well, given the position he plays.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs draft prospect profiles throughout this winter and spring. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.