The remaining eight members of Clemson’s historic 2018 signing class arrived to campus in late June, joining the group of mid-year enrollees that the Tigers welcomed to the fold in January.
In this feature, TCI takes a fresh look at the eight newcomers and gives a scouting report on what each player does best, how they will fit in and more. In this installment, we look at cornerback Mario Goodrich:
Position: CB
Hometown (High School): Kansas City, Mo. (Lee’s Summit West High School)
Height, Weight: 6-2, 188
Prospect ratings/rankings: 4-star, No. 99 national, No. 13 CB, No. 3 state (Rivals); 4-star, No. 148 national, No. 19 CB, No. 4 state (ESPN); 4-star, No. 160 national, No. 6 ATH, No. 4 state (247Sports)
High school stats/accolades: Had 11 career interceptions, and returned five of them for touchdowns… had three interceptions as a sophomore and brought all three back for touchdowns… had two pick-sixes among his seven interceptions in 2016… had just one interception in 2017, but had 15 pass deflections… had 49 tackles as a senior… an outstanding punt returner, he had 28 career returns for 487 yards, a 17.4 average… added 26 kickoff returns for 721 yards in his career, a 28-yard average… also played wide receiver on offense, had 38 career receptions for 641 yards and nine receiving touchdowns… had 22 total touchdowns for his career… had 140 career tackles and 13 tackles for loss from his defensive back position… had 35 passes defensed over his career, including 11 interceptions… scored a touchdown five different ways over his high school career2… played in the Offense/Defense All-American game as a senior… four-year letterman in basketball, who also had some offers in that sport
Strengths: Goodrich brings the complete package at the cornerback position. He is tall, long, physical, fast and explosive. He is an adept tackler and skilled in coverage as well, as evidenced by his 35 passes defensed and 11 interceptions in his high school career. He returned five of those interceptions for touchdowns, which shows his knack for making plays. Unlike some tall corners, his height doesn’t hinder his ability to move fluidly, and he has quick hips. Goodrich’s uncommon combination of size and athleticism makes him one of the top talents to come out of the state of Missouri in recent memory.
How he fits in: Goodrich has a chance to make an immediate impact for the Tigers in the secondary. Clemson is short on depth at corner and counting on him to help provide depth as a freshman. Goodrich comes in physically ready to contribute; the biggest thing for him will be getting ready to play from a mental standpoint. He will be tasked with learning Clemson’s scheme quickly in fall camp and learning to play with the desired techniques. He hopes to put on a bit more weight and play at 195 pounds this season.
Coach speak: Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney on Goodrich —
“This kid is long. He’s got everything you could possibly want to come in here and play in our secondary. Just great family… High-character, great student, excellent fit for our program.
“He’s long, he’s physical, he’s an excellent tackler, he’s fast, he’s a big-time athlete. He is a super, super athlete. He’s got size potential. He’s just got the explosiveness that you look for.
“From a football standpoint, he’s got everything that you could possibly want. He doesn’t really have any limitations, so I’ll be anxious to see how he develops.”
Hot off the press. ‘Back with a Vengeance’ is now available for online orders. TCI takes an in-depth look at the upcoming season as the Tigers march towards another national championship. Order your copy today!
