CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
Coming into the 2022 season, the Buffalo Bills only have Tre’Davious White (who’s returning from injury), Taron Johnson, and Dane Jackson under contract. And while they might re-sign Levi Wallace, Buffalo would be wise to add more talent and depth to the cornerback position.
Especially with the amount of incredible, pro-ready corners that should still be available by the end of the first round. Not the least of which includes Clemson’s Andrew Booth Jr.
Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner, and Derek Stingley Jr., are both expected to be taken in the top-10, and most mock drafts have Washington corner, Trent McDuffie, falling somewhere in the teens. But past that, it’s about as wide open as it gets, with up to six CBs that could be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Of all the available cornerbacks that the Bills will have to choose from at No. 25, I expect that Andrew Booth Jr. will have the most potential to step in and make an immediate impact.
At 6’0”, 200-pounds, Booth certainly isn’t the biggest cornerback in the draft, but he more than makes up for it with his exceptional length and excellent ball tracking skills. Most importantly, he’s extremely quick, competitive, and physical, three traits the Bills love.
The one downside is that he’s fairly inexperienced compared to many of his counterparts, having just two seasons with legitimate playing time at Clemson. Even if he did end 2021 with 37 tackles, 5 passes defended, and 3 interceptions, he’s still widely regarded as a relatively ‘raw’ prospect.
Luckily Buffalo already has Pro-Bowlers Poyer and Hyde in the backfield, as well as Tre’Davious White, who should revert back to his normal role as the team’s shutdown corner. So this will provide more than enough time for Booth to develop over the course of his rookie season.