Clemson CB Andrew Booth Jr. Is a Great Fit for the Chiefs
In school, one of the first things students are taught when writing is to open a paragraph with what they call an “attention grabber.” That attention-grabbing notable comes particularly quickly in considering the Kansas City Chiefs’ current cornerback depth. As a case in point, outside of Rashad Fenton and L’Jarius Sneed, the rest of the defensive backs on the active roster combine for statistics that read as follows.
One start, 228 defensive snaps, and just four seasons' worth of play.
Kansas City owns two first-round selections at No. 29 and No. 30, granting the franchise a chance to quickly address that cornerback issue. Much of the chatter surrounding their plans in the 2022 NFL Draft begins with bringing along another pass-catcher to crystalize their perennially-potent offense.
Though, as for that other Day One pick, it’s normally left up to choice — often between either a defensive end or a cornerback. In the event that Kansas City does decide to defy its tendencies and take a defensive back in round one, a name the Chiefs would automatically be linked to is Clemson Tigers junior Andrew Booth Jr.
Mar 5, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Clemson defensive back Andrew Booth (DB04) talks to the media during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
As it currently stands, the Chiefs are No. 2 in the NFL when it comes to spending money on its secondary … it just so happens that everyone else is tied for No. 1. Thus, in theory, the idea of taking Booth holds little backing if history means anything. The last time the organization took a cornerback on Day One? In 2015 with Marcus Peters.
In 2015, Cam Newton and Carson Palmer commandeered the league’s Most Valuable Player race. That's how long it's been since the Chiefs invested heavily in a cornerback from the draft. Under general manager Brett Veach, the Chiefs have avoided Day One and Day Two cornerbacks altogether. One look at the current depth chart, though, and there’s a case to end that this year. That's where Booth comes in.
In considering both Booth’s repertoire and role at Clemson and what Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes to have in a defensive back, it doesn’t take long to start checking off boxes. With a 6-foot frame, a competitive chip on his shoulder and elite ball-tracking skills, Booth has the versatility and potential to be an ideal fit in Spagnuolo’s aggressive, press-man defensive scheme.
This much was evident in considering Booth’s advanced snap counts, courtesy of Pro Football Focus. Last season, he fielded snaps across multiple different alignments be it: zone coverage (266 snaps), press coverage (98) and even a sprinkle of pure man-to-man (65). He predominantly worked out wide and in the boundary, but the results were fruitful. Across the entire ACC, he played the most snaps without allowing a 20-yard catch or better. All told, quarterbacks had a 9.0(!) passer rating when targeting Booth on throws down the field
This part of Booth's game stands out the moment you press play. He brings a blend of instinctual playmaking with a willingness to chase contact and be aggressive. His tackling issues are well-documented, but his ability to mirror receivers makes him a feasible replacement for Charvarius Ward, who earned a three-year, $40.5 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers earlier this offseason.
Comparing one player to another doesn't tell the full story, but both Ward and L'Jarius Sneed have proved excellent in their ability to "squeeze," cutting off sideline routes and giving quarterbacks little room to throw on those vertical routes. This is something Booth already seems to have an innate feel for.
Consider a three-way example of that from both Ward and Sneed which looks eerily similar to Booth's pick that made him a household name among hardcore football fans. Any capable Chiefs cornerback will need the ability to do the same.
Sep 18, 2021; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (23) celebrates after stopping Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Nate McCollum (8) during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Spagnuolo's aggressiveness, particularly on third downs, has been chronicled for years. Whether it be through a Cover-0 look with no safety help, exotic blitzes or whatever else the case may be, he oftentimes calls for a defensive back who isn't afraid to get physical. Booth fits the bill.
Booth isn’t quite yet a prototypical shutdown cornerback. It’s his overaggressiveness and tackling struggles that sometimes lead to big plays, as shown here against Georgia Tech’s Kyric McGowan. It shows throughout Emeka Emezie’s 14-catch, 116-yard performance in NC State’s 27-21 win, too. Clemson only allowed two 100-yard pass catchers all season (Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry was the other), but it's noteworthy how often they jumped on teams and forced them into pass-heavy game scripts.
The potential for — if jokes are permitted — phonebooth defense is well within grasp in Booth’s future, and NFL front offices know it. It’s the same reason why the Arizona Cardinals, the No. 27 selection, are among the teams poised to potentially take Booth, with how prevalent press-man is in Vance Joseph’s scheme. Veach’s comments on the importance of cornerback depth were noted just last week on this very topic.
The largest drawback, of course, could be the medical history. The diagnosis of his Osgood-Schlatter Disease as a child, his past surgery or the tendinitis issues shouldn’t stop front offices across the league from taking a shot at the talented, alpha-type cornerback. It could give pause, though. Some wonder what this could mean for Booth's fluidity and ability to move across the formation. The Chiefs have yet to have Booth on a visit where they can consider those medicals.
Still, be it Florida’s Kaiir Elam, Washington’s Trent McDuffie, or Booth, the Chiefs could be wise to shore up their secondary early into the draft. A season ago, they were charted with having given up 60 explosive pass plays — among the worst in the NFL. With how many question marks still remain in terms of how they plan to shore up their defense, selecting Booth with one of those opening picks could make for quite the exclamation point.
Sep 18, 2021; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (23) celebrates after stopping Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Nate McCollum (8) during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
