Drawing was his dream till he grew into the NFL. Now, Raiders lineman Good to test free agency
Long before Denzelle Good had a passion for football and the skills and size to reach the NFL, art was his thing.
If not for the game, the Gaffney, South Carolina, native might have found his way to Pixar or DreamWorks.
Flash forward to the present day, and the art-loving kid is coming off a breakthrough season for the Las Vegas Raiders and profiles as one of the top free-agent targets for teams looking to add offensive line depth ahead of the 2021 season.
It took a lot of change in his height, weight and attitude — and a little prodding from his father — before the conversion took hold.
He remembers it starting at age 5. He was into watching cartoons and drawing characters. “Dragon Ball z,” he says, was “one of my favorites.” Pokemon was among the others.
“I thought I was going to be a cartoon illustrator,” says Good, who just turned 30, “comics and animation and all that good stuff.”
While he was busy trying to get good at drawing comic books, it was Dad who kept wanting him to play football. Good said his father was a Pop Warner football coach “as far (back) as I can remember.”
“I had no interest in it at the time, but I was out there,” said Good, who played multiple positions in youth football, including running back and safety.
After a growth spurt, he moved to the defensive line, linebacker and safety.
Moving to the offensive line
It was until 10th grade that Good received his first taste of playing on the offensive line.
That initial exposure, at Gaffney High, wasn’t easy on Good. His attitude, he admits, didn’t help.
“I had a little growing up to do,” he said. “I had to come to the terms that I’m more suited to be an offensive lineman than a defensive lineman. I pouted about it at first, but I started out at 6-4 and 280 then. They put me at right tackle. Oof, it was rough.”
Good had older brother Richard by his side, teaching him the basics.
Richard Good was a tight end and “helped me a lot just before practice, kind of teaching me what he knew.”
Despite missing two weeks because of an asthma attack, Good helped Gaffney to a 15-0 record and state championship in 2006.
“I had a hold on the game, how it is supposed to be played as an offensive lineman and ... how to be nasty and finishing.”
Mars Hill to the NFL
No overnight sensation, Good went on to play for NCAA Division II Mars Hill University in western North Carolina from 2012 to 2014.
But he turned into a dominant force on the offensive line and NFL scouts took notice.
Still, in the 2015 NFL draft, he waited until the seventh and final round before the Indianapolis Colts called his name. He was the 255th pick, the second to last selection overall.
He spent 2½ seasons with the Colts before asking for and being granted his release, after the “situation turned sour there with one coach,” Good said.
That would be former Colts offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo, who reportedly wasn’t too happy with Good after the lineman left the team to be with his family. His younger brother had been shot and killed in South Carolina.
“I couldn’t see that situation going any other way,” Good said. “I just needed to be with a different team, honestly. I don’t think anything was going to happen where it could change that guy’s mind. I knew a new start was necessary. What was going on with my brother ... it was much needed, a change of scenery was definitely needed.”
Finding a home with the Raiders
The Oakland Raiders claimed Good off waivers on Dec. 3, 2018.
He started the final three games after guard Gabe Jackson was hurt and in 2019 signed a one-year extension. He made five more starts, again as an injury fill-in, playing on both the right and left sides of the line.
He signed another one-year extension as the franchise moved to Las Vegas and amid the pandemic year enjoyed a career season. He made 14 starts, playing guard and tackle, on a team that contended for a postseason berth for much of the year before finishing 8-8.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden called Good “an unsung hero” and quarterback Derek Carr, who put up big numbers himself, said Good was the MVP of the team.
“It made me feel like I was doing my job for one,” Good said. “Just for the situation that was at hand. It made me feel great as a teammate and as a professional athlete. My peers and my colleagues were pointing out things about my game that they appreciated.”
What’s next in free agency?
As an unrestricted free agent, Good is free to sign with any team without compensation.
But he also can return to the Raiders, which is his preference as the NFL free agency period approaches March 17.
He knows it is a process, admitting that while he is nervous and anxious he’s also excited. Good will re-sign with the Raiders, agreeing to a two-year deal.
“I feel like things have been positive between me and the Raiders,” he said. “I would love to be a Raider again. I would absolutely love it. I love playing under (offensive line) coach (Tom) Cable. I love being part of this organization. I love the guys in the offensive line room.
“I know at the same time, at the end of the day, it’s a business. Decisions have to be made and whether I’m a part of those decisions or not ... I’m only in control of so much. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens and that is where the anxiousness comes from.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
