Tennessee Releases Gooch From NLI
Over the last week, Tennessee has released three of its 2021 signees with Knoxville-area Offensive Tackle J’Marion Gooch being the latest. VR2 on SI was informed earlier this week that Gooch had requested out of his letter of intent and he was officially released today. Below is a look at his SI All-American evaluation.
Prospect: OT J’Marion Gooch
Projected Position: Offensive Tackle
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-8, 350 pounds
School: Seymour (Tenn.) The King’s Academy
Frame: Long, tall, massive frame capability to add definition to upper and lower half.
Athleticism: Bends well for his tall frame and exhibits quickness to get to the second level effectively at the high school level, as he is purposeful in his movements. He finishes with power in the run game, despite poor pad height.
Instincts: He is quick to disengage and get to the second level to finish blocks and spring long runs. He uses his surprisingly quick footwork to his advantage.
Polish: Gooch needs to improve his ability to leverage defenders and that should come as he improves his pad height. He finishes with power once engaged in blocks, and he is agile for his massive frame. His ability to get to the second level is desirable.
Bottom Line: J’Marion Gooch is a massive individual with surprisingly quick feet and athleticism. Gooch has a natural ability to bend, but he needs to improve his pad height and leverage defenders more often. He has requisite length, and he finishes with power at the second level, and he has a high ceiling as a tackle. He projects as a Power 5 starter.
