Clemson Tigers in the NFL: Scouting Combine Preview

Justyn Ross, Andrew Booth, Mario Goodrich and Baylon Spector are representing Clemson at this week's NFL Scouting Combine, the ultimate job interview.

Four former Clemson Tigers will participate this week in the ultimate job interview. 

The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine is underway in Indianapolis and runs through the rest of the week. While most of the attention is on the televised on-field drills, the players also go through medical evaluations and interviews with NFL executives, coaches and media members. 

An elite group of around 350 invitees gets the chance to prove themselves beyond the stat sheet and college film prior to the NFL draft, which runs April 28-30. It's a chance to move up draft boards, or maybe even get on them altogether. And while college Pro Days offer another opportunity to impress, this one comes on the biggest stage with all 32 teams represented. 

Here's a look at the Clemson players who are involved and what can be learned during this week's process:

Justyn Ross: There isn't a Tiger who needs a positive week more than the receiver who has had a tough journey to the combine. Ross was the team's leading receiver as a freshman in 2018, and after a decent sophomore season, congenital fusion was discovered and he required surgery in 2020, ending his hopes of getting on the field that year. It was unknown if he'd ever even play the game at all, but Ross was cleared in time for fall camp in 2021. 

However, his stat line of 517 yards and three touchdowns on 46 catches in 10 games underwhelmed in Clemson's anemic passing attack. Now he has to prove he's healed from a foot injury that sidelined him the last three games and that there are no long-term issues with his spine. He's scheduled to take the field in drills on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Andrew Booth: The talented cornerback jumped onto NFL radars with a stellar sophomore season, but Booth took it to another level in 2021. His junior season proved he was more than just an athlete who played corner. His technique and tackling improved, and NFL experts began putting him in the first round of their mock drafts during the season. He'll have a great chance to solidify himself at the combine, and there's a great chance his freak athleticism becomes a big topic after his on-field drills, which begin at 2 p.m. Sunday. 

Mario Goodrich: The cornerback has rocketed up draft boards over the last six months after he proved to be the most consistent, especially when picked on, DB on the team in 2021. His coverage numbers ranked among the best in the ACC, and it earned Goodrich an invite to the Senior Bowl. So he's already familiar with some of the combine process and faces he'll talk to in Indy. That gives him a leg up as he tries to improve his draft stock and possibly get into the second day. He'll be on the field with Booth on Sunday. 

Baylon Spector: A two-year starter with over 200 tackles in his Clemson career, the linebacker was a little bit of a surprise name when he got the combine invite. Spector doesn't have a ton of NFL draft stock, but that could change this week. Spector is the kind of player who can grab an NFL team's attention, and all it takes is one. He could be a good fit at the next level as an outside linebacker, so drills that show off his ability to read and react will be critical. It's also a chance for him to get noticed before Clemson's March 17 Pro Day. Linebackers will be on the field in Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon. 

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