Goodwin was born in Lubbock, Texas. He attended Rowlett High School in Rowlett, Texas, and played high school football and competed in track and field for the Rowlett Eagles. He had the second fastest 100-meter time (10.24w) in the state, was the state champion in the triple jump and long jump, and was a member of the state title-winning 4×100-meter relay team.College football recruiting: Marquise Goodwin ESPN He won seven Texas Class 5A state track and field championships while he was at Rowlett. He also finished first in the long jump at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and first again at the 2008 and 2009 United States Junior Championships. At the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Goodwin set the national high school record in the long jump and placed fifth ().
