2021 NFL Draft: Christian Barmore Player Profile

Position: Defensive Tackle

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 310 pounds

School: Alabama Crimson Tide
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Christian Barmore 2021 NFL Draft Profile

Overview

The University of Alabama is no stranger to producing NFL-level defensive lineman, and their next one is defensive tackle Christian Barmore. If teams are looking for a player to simply eat up space and trample the run on the way to the quarterback, look no further than Barmore. Sure, defensive linemen in this draft may not be the deepest crew, but outside of potential sleepers such as Patrick Jones II and Jaylen Twyman, Barmore is likely the safest pick. Thriving under Nick Saban, Barmore enters the draft as one of the top defensive linemen with the potential to be a day one starter.

Based out of Philadelphia, Barmore initially chose to play at nearby Temple University. However, he backed out and chose to play for one of college football’s most prestigious programs in Alabama. He earned SEC All-Freshman team honors in his first year and had eight sacks as a sophomore. This past season, Barmore was named Defensive MVP of the National Championship after Alabama defeated Ohio State. Barmore’s performance was highlighted by five tackles and a sack on quarterback Justin Fields.

• High Athleticism;
• Can jump off the line of scrimmage quickly;
• Gathers constant attention;
• Fluid movement;
• Very agile for size and weight;
• Gaines leverage.

• Relies on the first step constantly;
• Needs more strength;
• Struggles against lineman with bigger size and strength;
• Can get nullified by a single lineman at times;
• Inconsistent power.

Bottom Line on Christian Barmore

Christian Barmore is an intriguing prospect. Not often do we see an NFL defensive lineman have such agility, although Coach Saban is notorious for churning out productive players. Barmore is a day one player, but whether he starts remains to the discretion of his coach. While he does have significant power in his first step, it needs fine-tuning. Barmore qualifies as a first-round pick on appearance alone, but his late bloom has allowed him to rise up the draft board and make himself an enticing prospect for a team looking for fresh talent on their defensive line.

Like any prospect, however, there are flaws to Barmore’s game. His timing can be off, and as a result, he can get overmatched by stronger offensive linemen. Though his initial burst is top-notch, his closing speed can be questionable at times, and as such, he ends up opening a lane for the offense instead. It can be fixed with coaching, but it will take the right system to thrive. His upside may be tremendous, but it all comes down to coaching. He won’t have the luxury of hearing Saban in his ear constantly, and he will likely do his best work in a 3-4 defense. If, indeed, he shifts to a 4-3, coaches will be responsible for refining his skills as a defensive tackle.

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