SI All-American Candidate Andrew "Bam" Booker Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Andrew "Bam" Booker
Projected Position: Outside Linebacker/Defensive End
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds
School: Cincinnati (Ohio) Winton Woods
Schools of Interest: Cal, Maryland, Boise State, Kansas, Purdue, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Western Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Kentucky and Iowa State, among others.
Frame: Well-proportioned and put together. Broad shoulders and chest. Long, sinewy arms. Tightly-wound thighs and trunk, with slender calves. Ample room for additional mass at next level.
Athleticism: Very good agility for size. Quick feet and loose hips. Adequate speed in open field; better burst. Plenty of functional play strength already, with burgeoning overall power.
Instincts: Quick off the ball. Flattens to quarterback in a hurry after getting edge. Routinely beats linemen with lateral jukes before engaging arms, hands, but not afraid of physicality. Effective in pursuit from backside. Aggressive tackler who packs a punch.
Polish: Shows promising array of pass-rush moves: spin, swim, rip and arm-over. Good overall arm, hand usage for age. Patient as read-option defender. A bit jumpy when asked to drop into coverage. Must prove he can set edge, take on blocks in run game.
Bottom Line: Booker’s blend of size, quickness and pass-rush knack makes him an intriguing edge prospect. Projects best as 3-4 outside linebacker, but should develop size to play defensive end in four-down scheme. Surefire contributor at the Power-5 level, with quality starter upside.