Top 20 NFL Draft Prospects: Jahdae Barron

Collegiate Accolades

Barron steadily progressed in his five-season collegiate career. As a junior in 2022, he led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors. In 2023, he started on 12 of 14 games and was named Second-team All-Big 12. Barron had an even far more impressive final college football season. He won the Jim Thorpe Award, was named the Peach Bowl MVP, and was a finalist for the Bronco Nagurski Award. He also earned First-team AP All-American and First-team All-SEC honors.

Scouting Report Summary

Barron is a physical, high-IQ Nickelback with a nose for the football and a knack for being exactly where the play is headed. He’s got sharp instincts, clean footwork, and plays with noticeable strength. Barron thrives in zone looks. He reads the quarterback like a book and triggers downhill to smother receivers or deliver punishing hits at the catch point. What stands out most is his feel for the game. He mirrors routes like he’s in the huddle, constantly disrupting timing with physical jams and relentless hand fighting. His closing burst allows him to swarm ball carriers after the catch, and he consistently takes smart angles to limit yards after contact.

While Barron does a lot of good things, he lacks a signature trait. But thankfully, he has no seriously glaring weakness either. He doesn’t have the recovery speed to make up ground downfield and tends to get overly handsy at the top of routes in man coverage. He also shows occasional lapses in tackling fundamentals when defending the run. But all of these weaknesses can be corrected with time. Barron projects as an early-impact player with a long-term starting upside. He has the potential to also do well as a safety.

Strengths

Fast reactions: Barron’s sharp instincts allow him to quickly diagnose plays and break on the ball.

Versatile frame: He’s got the build to handle outside duties with enough quickness to shift inside if needed.

Sound with assignments: Barron has high awareness and discipline and is rarely caught out of position.

Uses hands effectively at the catch point: He excels at disrupting the catch with a mix of slaps, claws, and punches, ensuring receivers have a tough time securing the ball.

Weaknesses

Speed not great: Barron lacks top-end athleticism to keep up with faster receivers deep.

Inconsistent burst: He doesn’t always show sudden movement when reacting.

Not a reliable tackler: Barron’s tackling could use some improvement.

Shorter arm length: His compact frame doesn’t offer much reach, which could limit his ability to disrupt throws at full extension or finish tackles in space.

NFL Combine Results