Andrew Booth hasn’t played healthy football since high school.
That’s the way Clemson’s former cornerback described it during a conference call with media members shortly after he slid to the second round of last weekend’s NFL Draft. That’s where the Minnesota Vikings scooped him up with the 42nd overall pick.
Booth revealed the surgery he had in March to fix a sports hernia was the second such operation he’s undergone after the initial surgery he underwent in April 2021 “didn’t really do well.” Booth said he first sustained the injury before the 2020 season but played through it, starting just four of the 11 games he played for the Tigers that year.
The injury forced him to miss both the NFL scouting combine and Clemson’s pro day. A former five-star recruit, Booth also suffered a concussion and a hamstring injury last season that forced him to miss a game. He also had surgery after his freshman season to repair a torn patellar tendon.
But Booth also possesses freakish athleticism for a corner that he used to make highlight-reel plays when he was on the field at Clemson, including diving, contorting interceptions that sometimes required only one hand. So once he fell out of the first round and saw six cornerbacks taken ahead of him before getting the call from the Vikings, that’s when Booth said reality set in that his recent injury history was a legitimate concern for NFL teams.
Asked what his identity is at the position when he’s fully healthy, though, Booth said he views himself as a “ferocious” corner that isn’t going to shy away from physicality. The 6-foot, 200-pounder finished with 39 tackles in addition to a team-best three interceptions in 11 games last season, all starts.
“Truly lockdown,” Booth said. “Just being able to move how I want. When you’re injured out there – and I’m making zero excuses – but when you’re out there, you try to trust your skills and your athleticism a lot. So when you’re injured, you can’t really do that physically out there.”
As for how he feels more than a month removed from his latest surgery, Booth said he will be ready to go when the Vikings’ rookie minicamp begins May 13.
“And I’ll feel great,” he said.
Though Booth may understand why teams had some reservations about drafting him, he added he’s starting his career as a pro with some additional motivation.
“You’ve got a chip because it’s like I know who I am,” Booth said. “Everybody can’t know exactly who somebody is because you’re not them. But for me, I know who I am, I know what I can bring to the table, and I know where my health is.
“It’s all good. I truly believe I’m supposed to be here on the Vikings. I love it, I’m ready to go, and let’s do it.”
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