A former Clemson standout got on his soapbox this week when talking about Andrew Booth Jr.
Former Tiger and All-ACC offensive lineman Eric Mac Lain is a big fan of Booth, who is expected to be a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft that gets underway Thursday in Las Vegas.
“I’m going to get on a little soapbox here,” Mac Lain said on Packer and Durham on ACC Network this week. “I think if you look at the film, if you watch him play football, he’s the first- or second-best corner in the draft.”
Mac Lain believes Booth — a first-team All-ACC selection as a junior in 2021, when he had 39 tackles (3.0 for loss), five pass breakups and a team-high three interceptions in 11 games — has everything NFL teams are looking for in a defensive back.
“He does everything,” Mac Lain said. “He’s a ballhawk. He has ball skills. He’s making one-handed catches over 6-8 wide receivers. He comes up in run suppport and is not afraid to put his face in the fire. He has the picks.”
Booth recently underwent surgery for a sports hernia and was unable to participate in Clemson’s Pro Day and the NFL Combine while recovering from the surgery, though he is currently expected to be ready for training camp.
Mac Lain says there’s a “weird cloud” hanging over Booth because of his lack of testing during the pre-draft process. But Booth’s tape and performance on the field over the past three seasons at Clemson shows Mac Lain all he needs to see from the star corner, who recorded 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 from 2019-21.
“I think when you look at the postseason — and he wasn’t able to do the combine because of injury, he wasn’t able to do the Pro Day because of injury — the ‘Underwear Olympics’ have put this weird cloud over Andrew Booth for whatever reason,” Mac Lain said. “I don’t have to sit here and make him jump and touch a stick. I’ve seen him fly through the air and intercept the ball from (former Pittsburgh quarterback) Kenny Pickett. I’ve seen him jump over a receiver. I don’t need to see he’s fast. I’ve seen him hawk down guys all the time.”
ESPN’s latest seven-round mock draft (subscription required) projects Booth to be selected by the New England Patriots with the 21st overall pick in the first round.
But regardless of where Booth lands or whichever team grabs him in the draft, Mac Lain believes that team will not regret the pick and will be getting a great return on investment.
“For me, man, he’s a guy that whoever drafts him — maybe the Bills, maybe the Patriots around the 20 area — they’re getting a ton of value out of that pick,” he said.
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