Goodson states his case at combine
Besides acing the skill drills, DB opens eyes with his story
There was a final conversation between father and son.
As Demetri Goodson headed toward the annual NFL draft scouting combine in Indianapolis, his father, Michael, remained locked up inside a Beaumont prison. But it was the dad who had pushed the son to stick with football at Klein Collins, then helped Goodson dream up his unorthodox late-college transition from Gonzaga’s starting point guard to Baylor defensive back in 2011.
So before Goodson stepped inside Lucas Oil Stadium — to be broken down in minute scientific detail by NFL coaches and scouts; to join a list of buzzing names that included Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel and Michael Sam, Missouri’s openly gay defensive end — the 2014 draft hopeful took in a few final words of parental advice.
Michael Goodson told his son how proud he was. Then the father got real.
“Go out there, have some fun, just ball out,” Michael said.
Goodson again followed his father’s words.
Measuring in at 5-11 and 194 pounds, Goodson sprinted through the 40yard dash in 4.52 seconds — ranking 17th among 31 combine defensive backs — while leaping 123 inches in the broad jump, reaching 37 inches in the vertical and maneuvering through the three-cone drill in 6.8 seconds.
None of the numbers is a guarantee Goodson’s name will be called May 8-10 during the sevenround draft; he’s still banking on Baylor’s March 19 pro day in Waco as his official NFL announcement.
But Goodson was fluid and sharp during drills, smoothly blending in with mock draft-leading cornerbacks such as Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert and Michigan State’s Darqueze Den- nard. Goodson’s size and speed were on par for a league already attempting to mimic the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowlwinning Legion of Boom secondary.
“The combine numbers are one thing,” said Jeff Nalley, Goodson’s agent. “They also know what a fluid athlete he is at his size. To be able to move the way he moves (is) impressive.”
The confidence and poise that come with hitting a game-winning, running bank shot to send a team to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 also shined through. Goodson arrived at Indy knowing it was the most important week of his sporting life. He easily stomached the hype, scrutiny and nationally televised pressure that are increasingly becoming accepted traits of the combine.
“I feel like I did better than most of the top guys there,” Goodson said. “Just because they have the big names, they’re going to get most of the (publicity). But I feel like I at least put my name out there.
“I’m not trying to brag or anything, but I didn’t feel any kind of pressure at all. I was just out there balling.”
No rest for the weary
He also was barely sleeping.
A 5 p.m. midweek arrival became a surreal, unending day — one that was followed by more of the same. Goodson closed his eyes at 1:30 a.m. his first day at the combine, woke up at 5 a.m., then repeated the red-eyed drill until he officially worked out Tuesday during the final session, which was televised live on NFL Network. While Jadeveon Clowney, Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, Manziel and Sam made national sports news every time they were in front of a TV camera, Goodson blended in with the remaining 300-plus athletes before eventually meeting with all 32 teams.
“The whole week I probably had six hours of sleep, so I wasn’t really ready to do all that stuff,” Goodson said. “I feel like my 40 time and vertical and all that stuff can get better. It’s just a tiring process. Very tiring.”
A point guard who started 68 of 69 games during a three-season span at Gonzaga still rolled with the spotlight. Eight teams — including Baltimore, Cincinnati, Oakland and the Texans — showed strong initial interest, while a promising conversation with San Diego lasted 25 minutes.
Before Indy, trainer Danny Arnold’s primary emphasis was on a solid combine, followed by a blowout during Baylor’s pro day. After Indy, Arnold’s more confident than ever that Goodson is climbing toward a draftday phone call.
“He did exactly what we expected him to do, which was look good,” said Arnold, owner and director of Plex, a workout facility in Stafford. “You don’t have to hit the home run there and you actually kind of don’t want to, because then they put in more questions and wonder why they didn’t know about this guy so well.”
Best is yet to come
Arnold and Nalley have a little more than two months remaining to create the desired amount of curiosity.
Most NFL defensive backs spend at least a decade playing the position before they become a pro. The majority at least find a home in the back of a defense during high school, then fine-tune their professional future during a three-to-fiveyear college run. Goodson gave up football at Klein Collins in 2005, didn’t return to the game until 2011, then suffered backto-back season-ending injuries at Baylor in 2011 and 2012.
For Nalley and Arnold, that is their selling point.
“You like what you’re seeing now?,” they tell NFL teams intrigued by Goodson’s size, speed and athletic bloodline. “Just wait until this kid actually stays on a football field.”
“He’s going to get an opportunity 100 percent for sure, and that’s not even a question,” said Nalley. “I think most NFL people will be surprised if he’s not drafted because in NFL circles everyone is aware of him.”
The brother factor
Not every franchise knows Goodson’s full story, though. Denver and Kansas City showed interest during the combine. Yet neither was aware of everything he went through just to make it to Indianapolis.
“I told them and they were, like, ‘Wow, this kid is pretty good,’ ” Goodson said. “I thought that because I tell people my story that they know about it. But they ended up asking me all these questions, and they’re like, ‘Dang, I didn’t even know that about you.’ ”
In Indy, some personnel wondered just how similar Goodson is to his older brother, Mike, a New York Jets running back who is facing weapons charges. Goodson is close with his brother, occasionally works out with him at Plex and leaned on Mike for pre-combine advice. During team interviews, though, the humble but confident Goodson acknowledged the brothers are “opposite people.”
Speedy goal for Waco
Stage one of Goodson’s NFL transformation is complete.
Months spent working in tandem with Arnold via sweat-filled two-adays have Goodson’s body primed, with his feet, hips and torso blending into a united blur. He wants a 4.37 in the 40 in 18 days in Waco. Arnold and Nalley have 68 days left to convince just one team out of 32 a former college starting point guard belongs on their final NFL draft board.
“You want to keep pouring in, ‘Hey, he’s just removed from basketball,’ ” Arnold said. “You can sell it that the upside of this guy can be tremendous, so it’s our job to try to sell that.”