NFL Draft Profile: Andrew Booth Jr., Cornerback, Clemson Tigers

#23
Pos: DB
Ht: 5116
Wt: 193
DOB: 9/28/00
Eligible: 2022
Dacula, GA
Archer

Andrew Booth Jr.
Clemson Tigers

Pros:

Leinweber: Great overall athlete with springy explosiveness. Booth is shot out of a cannon, allowing him to break and make up lost ground quickly. Trusting his deep speed, he does not have to get hands on receivers as he can run with them stride for stride. He uses his lower body twitch and flexible hips to change directions and transition rapidly. Foot speed to mirror is great and he is very agile moving laterally which he uses to get in front of wideouts in off. Booth is incredibly competitive, using his long arms to contest the catch point and coming down with passes spectacularly. In run support, he plays with his hair on fire, making him a playmaker. He tackles reliably.

Bogan: Twitchy athlete who brings a compact frame and long limbs to the cornerback position. Energy jumps off the tape with his effort and urgency he plays with. Plays with savvy pre-snap, doing his best to disguise his alignments and not give the quarterback an indicator. Excellent feel for playing press bail where he matches the tempo of the receiver so that he can still be aggressive on underneath routes. Makes a conscious effort to keep his front shoulder down while in a crossover run, allowing him to play with balance out of his breaks and stay low. Exhibits good long speed to carry receivers vertically on a consistent basis. Very good fluidity to flip his hips and stay in phase with receivers, showing noticeable acceleration to burst when needing to turn and run. An easy mover who displays excellent short area quickness driving downhill on throws, plays with clean footwork when planting out of his breaks. Superb ball skills to track the football and highpoint with soft hands, is a consistent competitor at the catch point. Loves to be a part of the run game, showing urgency to come up and be an efficient tackler on ball carriers of all sizes due to his strong frame and long arms aiding his tackling radius.

Cons:

Leinweber: An inexperienced player who is still prone to making mistakes. Booth will take false steps in man coverage. In zone and from off, he can be late to turn and run, letting wideouts get past him. A lack of eye discipline causes him to bite on the occasional double move. His athleticism allows Booth to get away with mistakes in college that he will be punished for at the next level.

Bogan: Inexperience shows up on tape as his energy can be a detriment at times causing his eye discipline to be all over the place. Has a bad habit of looking at the quarterback in man coverage and allowing receivers to climb on his toes, forcing him to be a step behind when he transitions. Lack of press coverage reps shows up in his willingness to give receivers too much space off the line of scrimmage instead of using his quick feet to mirror receivers laterally or use his length to force receivers to run around him.

Summary:

Leinweber: Wiry, long-armed corner with special movement skills and springy athleticism. Booth is very competitive in the run game and at the catch point. Inconsistencies in timing and technique are usually bailed out by his athleticism. Booth projects as a playmaking cornerback who will only get better as many of the flaws he has are coachable. He has the physical talent and demeanor to develop into one of the best players at the position in the NFL. 

Bogan: Well put-together cornerback with top-tier athletic abilities that NFL teams will covet at the top of the draft. Inexperience causes him to rely too often on his athleticism which will get him burned at the next level. A supremely gifted athlete with high energy and superb ball skills, his best football is still ahead of him. Will take over his first full year as a starter next fall which will come with high expectations. Limited games show a player who can be one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks and will certainly warrant a first-round pick if he builds on last season.

Background: 

Raised in Dacula, Georgia. A five-star recruit according to 247Sports. Standout return man in high school. Communication major. Academic standout. 

One-Liners

Leinweber: Wiry cornerback with special movement skills and springy athleticism. Booth has the physical talent and demeanor to develop into one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.

Bogan: Supremely gifted athlete with high energy and superb ball skills, his best football is still ahead of him. Limited games show a player who can be one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks and will certainly warrant a first-round pick if he builds on last season.

Grades

Current Player Value/Potential Player Value

Leinweber: 8.1/9.2

Bogan: 8.2/9.2