Broaddus Breakdown Trained Eye: Broaddus Breaks Down Barron

[RS12]

Name: Mark Barron
Position: Safety
College: Alabama
Height/Weight: 6-2 / 220

With the No. 14 pick, the Cowboys obviously can go in many different directions, from staying put and taking best available, to moving down a few spots or possibly trading up. Different players have been discussed, but we've tried to narrow the field to a handful of players. One of which is Alabama safety Mark Barron, who is considered by far the best safety in the draft.

Is he worthy of the No. 14 pick?

Former NFL scout Bryan Broaddus, the newest member of the DallasCowboys.com as a football analyst, breaks down the game film of Barron. Broaddus watched four Alabama games from 2011 (Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and LSU) and came away with this scouting report:

Initial view: Lines up as a safety in the Crimson Tide defensive scheme but really plays more like a linebacker than a real safety. Was a three year starter on the nation's top ranked defense. He does some of his best work around the line of scrimmage. Is not a hard player to find on film because he is always around the ball. Might not be the quickest safety afoot but he is very quick mentally when it comes to reacting to the play. When he sees it, he is gone. Outstanding anticipation to drive on the ball. Is rarely fooled on the play.

Strengths: Shows awareness in the scheme he plays. Doesn't over run plays or get out of balance.


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[theogt]

I only observed one play where he had to defend the ball down the field on a pass and that was against Tennessee off the hash and he was able to make that play.

I think this indicates he didn't watch much of his film. He probably flipped on a youtube highlight. Hell, there are a number of plays showing him defending a pass downfield on youtube. There are also a number of plays showing him defending in the slot on youtube. So, when Broaddus says things like he didn't "observe many plays where he would walk down in the slot and just carry that man in coverage", I think it just means that Broaddus didn't watch but a few minutes of this guy's film -- err...youtube clips.

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

Just read that on the site. It pretty much confirmed all of my fears with Barron. Granted he did only watch four games from this last season. I've heard that he flashed much more ability in coverage earlier in his college carrier.

 

[JBell]

I think this indicates he didn't watch much of his film. He probably flipped on a youtube highlight. Hell, there are a number of plays showing him defending a pass downfield on youtube. There are also a number of plays showing him defending in the slot on youtube. So, when Broaddus says things like he didn't "observe many plays where he would walk down in the slot and just carry that man in coverage", I think it just means that Broaddus didn't watch but a few minutes of this guy's film.

"Broaddus watched four Alabama games from 2011 (Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and LSU) and came away with this scouting report:"

But since Barron is your pet cat, you have to go and attack the guy.

 

[Dough Boy]

I didn't observe many plays where he would walk down in the slot and just carry that man in coverage..

How many college safties are asked to do this?

For that matter, how many safties not named Darren Woodson has the talent to do this? For the record, Woody was not asked to do this as a rookie.

 

[theogt]

I see now that it says he only watched four games. You're the supposed "media scout" and this is the most likely draft pick for the team you're covering, and you watch four games? Talk about lazy. My guess is he didn't even watch all of the four games listed. What a waste of 5 minutes reading that.

 

[cowboysooner]

I think this indicates he didn't watch much of his film. He probably flipped on a youtube highlight.

I just think it is a projection to see him in man on a receiver or tight end. That is not the type of scheme he played. He did not play against very many good passing attacks the past 2 years.

He was not a single high safety very often and did not play alot of teams where they went 4 wide and made him matchup on a slot in man or short zone. He played a ton of cover 2 where he had a deep half and he was pretty good at it.

He played alot of nickle linebacker in nickle much like Roy Williams or Polumalu. It is not a bad thing because that is usually what a strong safety does. He is good in the short zones. We won't ask him to play single high either.

 

[JBell]

How many college safties are asked to do this?

For that matter, how many safties not named Darren Woodson has the talent to do this? For the record, Woody was not asked to do this as a rookie.

If you draft one at #14, you're hoping he has the kind of ability. If a safety can't do that in today's pass heavy league, he's not worthy of a high first round pick.

(Not saying Barron can't)

 

[Dough Boy]

I just think it is a projection to see him in man on a receiver or tight end. That is not the type of scheme he played. He did not play against very many good passing attacks the past 2 years.

He was not a single high safety very often and did not play alot of teams where they went 4 wide and made him matchup on a slot in man or short zone. He played a ton of cover 2 where he had a deep half and he was pretty good at it.

He played alot of nickle linebacker in nickle much like Roy Williams or Polumalu. It is not a bad thing because that is usually what a strong safety does. He is good in the short zones.

To your point, how many safties are asked to cover the slot WR. We have O Scan to cover the slot, we need a saftey that can cover the TE.

 

[jterrell]

I see now that it says he only watched four games. You're the supposed "media scout" and this is the most likely draft pick for the team you're covering, and you watch four games? Talk about lazy. My guess is he didn't even watch all of the four games listed. What a waste of 5 minutes reading that.

I watched a lot of Bama and saw the same things.

Not saying Barron can't cover but saying he never had to.

Bama had 4 or 5 early draft picks on that team and they attacked people.
No one on that team did much back pedaling.

Same concern with Hightower and Upshaw. Can they play in space alone or going backwards at all?

Believe me if I could recruit like Sabin none of my guys would ever drop into coverage either.

 

[burmafrd]

True FS's that can really cover well are very rare. Looks to me that he really will not offer much different then Sensebaugh already does.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

An "In the box" safety who's not good in coverage.

No thanks.

 

[cowboysooner]

He'll get matched up in the slot if the other team is flexing out the tight end or they flex out the tight end and the back and you are in base personnel. This is what the Saints do quite often.

If he can play deep halves that's good enough most of the time. I think he can do that. I don't know if he can be the 1 high safety. That is alot of ground to cover. NFL teams don't like to do it.

I do think he fits with Pool better than Sensenbaugh. I think Earl Thomas would fit better with Sensenbaugh. Pool is very good at playing deep safety. He is bad at the box stuff.

 

[burmafrd]

I see now that it says he only watched four games. You're the supposed "media scout" and this is the most likely draft pick for the team you're covering, and you watch four games? Talk about lazy. My guess is he didn't even watch all of the four games listed. What a waste of 5 minutes reading that.

well then give examples where he did cover a good WR downfield.

 

[jterrell]

To your point, how many safties are asked to cover the slot WR. We have O Scan to cover the slot, we need a saftey that can cover the TE.

Slot in college is roughly equivalent to current NFL TEs in receiving talent.

Can Barron cover Witten, Gonz, Pettigrew, Davis, Hernandez, Gronk?

I just don't know and that scares me. We do know legit know coverage safeties are really hard to find. Heck Alan Ball couldn't do it and he was a friggin CB.

 

[speedkilz88]

How many college safties are asked to do this?

For that matter, how many safties not named Darren Woodson has the talent to do this? For the record, Woody was not asked to do this as a rookie.

Woody could run a 4.40 40 and Jimmy threw him into the slot at the first camp. Barron is no where near the physical talent that Wooson was.

 

[tm1119]

I don't think its a question that Barron is a SS in the NFL. The point is that Gerald Sensobaugh is not nearly good to keep a team from drafting a very good young SS. If Barron gets graded out highly and is the best ranked player left at 14 then he should be the pick. Sorry Sensy, but youre very expendable.

 

[Dough Boy]

Woody could run a 4.40 40 and Jimmy threw him into the slot at the first camp. Barron is no where near the physical talent that Wooson was.

Woody did not start as a rook. And the reason Woody was a good cover safety was he did position drills with the CB. In college he didn't cover slot wr either. He was a LB.

 

[SportsGuru80]

Woody could run a 4.40 40 and Jimmy threw him into the slot at the first camp. Barron is no where near the physical talent that Wooson was.

Actually Woody didn't play full time until his second year in the NFL. He was a hyprid at Arizona State much like Urlacker was at New Mexico.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Woody did not start as a rook. And the reason Woody was a good cover safety was he did position drills with the CB. In college he didn't cover slot wr either. He was a LB.

No question.

But he had the hips that allowed him to turn & run. That's not something you can teach or learn, it's something you're born with.