Prospect Profile: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Evaluation

Disrupting the WR Release

The most interesting part of Barron’s evaluation is on his skills at the line of scrimmage. He very rarely played in press Man coverage and even more rarely jammed a receiver at the line of scrimmage. On the few occasions that he did, you can see him move exceptionally well in soft-shoe press and match angles with all types of competition. You also saw him compete with surprisingly good technique and play strength when jamming a receiver, even against small Tight Ends you would not see anyone get a clean release or get him stacked quickly. As it is a small sample size you must project somewhat his ability to play in press. You can feel comfortable with him in soft press, because every time he changes direction anywhere on the field, his footwork is elite and his hips are fluid. If you need him to jam a receiver, you know he’ll compete with physicality and some play strength but there will be those elite bigger receivers at the next level who’ll be able to body him off the line. I don’t think it’ll be often though. He is also very good in catch-man, gets his hands on to disrupt the release into the route, and works excellently in off and bail, it’s hard for even the highest processing receivers to get into his blind spot and work him out of phase.

Taking Away Targets from the WR

He excels in coverage. The first thing you notice about him is his elite processing, he understands route combinations and quickly understands what the offense is trying to do. He reacts quickly to take away targets, whether that be in Man coverage when he’s reading the receiver or in Zone coverage when he’s reading the Quarterback, he does both equally well. He doesn’t just have his brain for taking away targets, his athletic gifts help him to mirror in confined spaces. He has no wasted movement in his transition mechanics, and everything looks smooth and easy, his hip fluidity is off the charts. His drive mechanics are also good, there are no extra steps, he hits his back foot and explodes towards the football. He plays with such intelligence in Zone coverage, reads the Quarterback at a very high level, can periph receivers and works well even when the scheme puts him in conflict. He mirrors well and stays in phase from both the slot and outside, he is particularly good in confined spaces against more hard-angle routes. He reads two-step breaks at a very high level, because of his anticipation he breaks with the receiver and as he normally has superior footwork he’s often right in his pocket at the top of the route, giving up zero separation. He also works well against vertical cuts and can stay in phase with reactive athleticism and long speed if necessary. He can compete with receivers who have good play strength at the top of the route and isn’t easily chicken-winged out. You can also see him drop into coverage from mugging the A gap, into a hook/curl, plant his foot after reading the QB all the way through his drop, and make a play at the numbers on a ball thrown on time.

Making a Play on the Ball

Given his lack of length, this is a crucial part of his evaluation. His ball skills are outstanding. He breaks on the ball with outstanding accuracy every time a ball his thrown his way, his hand will find the football like a homing beacon. On routes other than slants, his timing on his ball skills is also excellent, you can see him get to the receiver early because he’s too smart, but he has the presence of mind to pause before attempting the pass break-up to ensure he isn’t flagged for interference. On slants, when he’s giving up some cushion at the line of scrimmage, his break on the ball can be a little late, because of the accuracy of his hands in his ball skills, he will get a PBU on balls thrown behind the receiver, but on perfectly thrown balls to receivers with good hands, he can give up a completion. He also works excellently in tandem with teammates, especially in banjo coverage – he also looks like an organizer on the back-end.

Defending the Run and Tackling

He is a tough and competitive run defender who can make an impact on the running game from his CB spot. He is a disciplined and effective force player. He will take on WR and smaller TE blocks with his hands, demonstrating good technique and therefore play strength. He can bench-press blockers to force the run inside and shows that he can consistently disengage and get off blocks to affect the runner. He also reads RB keys like he’s a Linebacker so he can get underneath blocks when he’s playing in the box. He is a high-quality form tackler, he hits with toughness and power, and can get Running Backs to the ground, winning against powerful or elusive runners. You can even see him tackle with one arm, while he’s being blocked, on film.

Ravens Draft Pick Comp
A more fluid Lardarius Webb.

PRODUCTION 
Final year on campus: 67 To. Tackles, 5 INTs, 9 PBUs, 1 Sack
SO: 31 To. Tackles, 2 INTs, 6 PBUs
Injury: None

RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 5
Intelligence 5
Versatility 5
Grit 5
Scheme 5