A former Clemson star is one of Todd McShay’s favorite picks of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The ESPN Senior NFL Draft Analyst released an article naming the best value pick for every NFL team at the draft (subscription required) and pegged former Tiger cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. as his favorite pick for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings got great value with their selection of Booth, snagging the 2021 first-team All-ACC selection — a player many believed might be a first-round pick, including McShay — in the second round with the No. 42 overall pick.
Here’s what McShay had to say about the Vikings grabbing Booth:
The Vikings traded back in the first round and took Georgia safety Lewis Cine to close out Day 1. Good pick. But the team’s first selection of Day 2 was the one that really caught my eye. I thought Booth might be a first-rounder, and I put him at No. 27 on my board. The Vikings managed to land him 10 picks into Round 2. And man, did they need someone like him at cornerback. Patrick Peterson will be 32 years old when the season starts and is starting to show signs of his age. The depth at the position was weak, too.
Booth is a top-end press-man corner, but he’s scheme-versatile and can play in off-man or zone looks. He has playmaker instincts and ball skills, and he’s a willing run defender who flies in on ball carriers. Booth is explosive and has a fluid transition out of his pedal. I love his game.
Booth was projected by many pundits to be a first-round pick, but he recently underwent hernia surgery, which kept him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine and Clemson’s Pro Day last month and undoubtedly hurt his draft stock.
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.
Booth recorded 39 tackles (3.0 for loss), five pass breakups and a team-high three interceptions in 11 games (all starts) last season and finished his three-year career with the Tigers (2019-21) with 75 tackles (5.5 for loss), 10 pass breakups, five interceptions, a sack and a fumble recovery (which he returned 21 yards for a touchdown) over 35 career games (15 starts).
–Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.
Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks
