Scouting Broncos' First-Round CB Jahdae Barron

The Denver Broncos defied most of the prominent draftniks and fan expectations to select Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron at pick No. 20 overall. While Broncos Country is still rolling with the punches of the Barron pick, what does he bring to the table?

Let's begin to answer the question by diving into Barron's scouting report.

Biography

Barron is a little older, at 23, and will turn 24 on December 4. To close his time with the University of Texas, he won the 2024 Jim Thorpe award, which recognizes the top defensive back in college football. 

Size & Athleticism

At 5-foot-11 and 194 pounds, Barron had a great performance at the NFL Combine to show off his athleticism. The only concern regarding length is his sub-30-inch arms.

Barron's height, weight, and athleticism all check the requisite boxes. 

Key Statistic

Barron has played over 1,100 snaps as a boundary corner, 900 in the slot, and nearly 500 in the box. He has 17 pass break-ups and eight interceptions, with only two touchdowns allowed in coverage. 

Pros

Barron is a versatile defensive back who can also play safety and drop into the slot in certain packages. He also has plenty of ability to be a two-high safety and some for single-high work. As defensive coordinators look for chess pieces to move around, Barron fits that mold. 

You can see the natural feel and sense in coverage when watching Barron play corner. He almost has a sixth-sense ability to run the routes for the receiver he's covering.

Barron's technique is some of the best since Patrick Surtain II, especially regarding how he attacks the catch point. He plays with a good bend in coverage and keeps himself in a position to snap his coverage to match with receivers' breaks. 

Barron's football IQ, instincts, and awareness are all NFL-ready. He plays with such body control and balance that his projection to move around the defense is easy to see.

Barron's physicality as a run defender is there, too, and he flows well with plays. A defensive coordinator can put Barron all over the secondary and likely find success. 

Cons

Barron's shorter arms are an issue when securing tackles at the NFL level. His tackling technique isn’t great, making the concern even more serious.

While Barron tested well at the Combine, concerns exist about his speed on tape, and he can be a bit overaggressive with his route mirroring. The speed concerns show up when trying to recover from an early mistake. 

Barron didn’t do the change-of-direction drills at the Combine, and sometimes, he can allow separation with quick breaks. His burst out of breaks is a bigger concern, as it takes a moment to get back up to speed.

Barron's lack of length may also raise an issue with carrying over his ball production to the NFL. While he has the traits to be a versatile defensive back, his best spot will likely be as a slot cornerback. 

Fit with Broncos

The fit will entirely depend on how the Broncos view Barron. He would be a great fit if the team sees him as a safety.

When asked whether he could play safety in the NFL, Barron answered, "Most definitely."

"Playing safety would be a tremendous thing for me. Again, just learning from those vets there, learning the information that they have learned," Barron said via conference call on Thursday night after the Broncos drafted him.

Draft Grade: Round 2