STRENGTHS - Goodwin made the U.S. Olympic track team in 2012 (long jump), and his elite top-end speed is clearly on display once he gets into the open field. He has the ability to catch the ball away from his body naturally, and has extensive experience returning kicks. ***Although he did not do it in the games evaluated, at the Senior Bowl he displayed good route running ability. He was smooth into cuts, had a burst out of cuts and was quick getting started up the field. In Mobile he flashed the hands to make tough catches on off-target passes. (It is important to not put too much stock in a player's performance at an All Star Game when he did not display these skills consistently in actual games).
WEAKNESSES - Goodwin has a slight frame and may not be able to pack on additional weight. He struggles to block in space in part because of his lack of bulk and natural strength, but more so because of his tendency to get overextended and out of control. He is too easily redirected by defenders that are aggressive with him in and out of his breaks, and must learn to run more disciplined routes. Twice in the games I evaluated the defense intercepted balls he was not aggressive enough coming back to. While he has elite speed he lacks elusiveness in space and is too easily brought down by arm tackles. He suffered two concussions during his senior campaign, and his long-term durability may be a concern. .
SUMMARY - Marquise Goodwin may have world-class sprinter's speed but he is very raw in terms of his football skills. He ability to simply out-run pursuit angles was constantly on display during kick returns at Texas, but he struggled to consistently break arm tackles and does not appear to be an elusive target in space. While he displayed good hands on the few opportunities he had catching the ball, he did not display precision in his route running and was not asked to run the entire route tree. He must increase his physicality in all parts of his game, as not only was he too easy to bring down but he struggled to sustain blocks and was too easily knocked off line. This being said, Goodwin does not have the natural bulk needed to play the position in the NFL and his frame appears to be maxed out. He's worth a gamble at some point on day three because of his ability as a return specialist, but some teams are likely to be scared off by his recent concussion history as well.