Mock drafts continue to circulate online ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, which will take place in Las Vegas from April 28-30.
Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network recently released a 2022 Seven-Round NFL Mock Draft, which projects three former Clemson players to be picked in the first six rounds.
Cummings predicted cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. to be selected in the first round by the Buffalo Bills with the No. 25 overall pick.
“Andrew Booth Jr. didn’t test at the 2022 NFL Combine, opting to instead wait for his pro day,” Cummings wrote. “It’s a sensible move, and it made even more sensible by the fact that Booth tweaked his hamstring while training for the event in Indianapolis. Even so, without numbers to grapple to, Booth may slip in the eyes of scouts, at least in the immediate timeline. It already seems like the media is higher on him than the NFL.
“Even so, I think Booth is a first-round talent. And if he falls to a certain point, a team like Buffalo should absolutely pull the trigger. Booth has one of the best length/athleticism combinations in the early rounds, and he compounds it with strong run support and acrobatic playmaking ability at the catch point. Opposite Tre’Davious White, Booth can help the Bills ensure that “13 seconds” never happens again.”
Booth tallied 39 tackles (3.0 for loss), five pass breakups and a team-high three interceptions in 11 games (all starts) en route to first-team All-ACC honors as a junior last season.
Cummings projected former Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross to be taken with the final pick in the fifth round (No. 178 overall) by the Indianapolis Colts, while he projected former Tiger corner Mario Goodrich to go off the board four picks later (in the sixth round) with the 182nd overall pick to the Houston Texans.
Ross missed the 2020 season after undergoing spinal fusion surgery that spring.but still concluded his career as a Tiger ranked tied for fifth in Clemson history in career receiving touchdowns (20), 10th in career receiving yards (2,379) and 11th in career receptions (158).
Goodrich was a 2021 first-team All-ACC selection and was also named as a third-team All-American by PFF. Additionally, he earned first-team all-conference nods from the AP and PFF and a second-team selection from Phil Steele. He was credited with 48 tackles, nine pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble in 12 games (all starts), and was named MVP of the 2021 Cheez-It Bowl in his final game as a Tiger.
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