Alabama DL Christian Barmore Selected in 2021 NFL Draft
It didn’t take long for former Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore to be selected on the second night of the 2021 NFL draft.
The 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game Defensive MVP was chosen with the 38th overall pick in the second round to the New England Patriots on Friday evening.
Barmore is joining former teammate, quarterback Mac Jones in New England, who was selected with the 15th overall pick.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick has now drafted 12 Alabama players since Nick Saban has arrived to Tuscaloosa. That’s the most of any duo in the common draft era.
Crimson Tide fans only saw two seasons of Barmore on the field and his potential was on full display in the 2020 season where he led the team in sacks with eight and recorded 9.5 tackles for loss.
While many edge rushers were selected toward the end of the first round, the 6-foot-4, 310-pounder is one of the first interior defensive lineman off of the board.
Draft Profile: Christian Barmore
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa.
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Height: 6-4
Weight: 310
Arms: 33 5/8
Hands: 10
• Named third team All-American by the Associated Press
• Named first- and second-team All-American by outlets the NCAA does not use in determining unanimous and consensus status (CBS Sports, Pro Football Focus and USA Today)
• First-team All-SEC honors from both the AP and league coaches
• Recorded 37 tackles, including a team-high eight sacks to rank second in the SEC during shortened 2020 season. Had added 9.5 tackles for loss, six quarterback pressures, broke up three passes while forcing a team-high three fumbles.
• Selected as the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the CFP National Championship Game. Had five tackles, including two for a loss and a sack.
What they said ...
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Attack-oriented defensive tackle with a big body, violent hands and the talent to work his way around blocks and find the football. Barmore tends to be in the lead and take control of a majority of reps. His hands and feet sing in harmony and allow him to stay active and free from attempts to sustain blocks against him. His hands are heavy and powerful but also sudden and efficient, which creates early win opportunities for him in the run game and as a pass rusher. Barmore can be his own worst enemy when he freestyles his run fits and prematurely gives away positioning when posting up in read-and-react mode. He’s exceptional at finding a blocker’s edge and swiping past the outside hand to bring the ruckus inside the pocket. While he has similar size and skill set, it doesn’t feel like he’s as long at the point of attack as past Alabama defensive tackles now in the pros. Barmore’s explosive first step, violent hands and upper-body power are the ingredients of a three-down defender with the versatility to play a number of positions in an even or odd front as an impactful rookie starter.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network: "There is a lot of ability there. You saw the good stuff at the end of the year that gets you fired up, and then I could point out some games in the early or middle part of the season where he doesn't look like the same guy. Just a little bit up and down with him, but he's one of those ones if you hit, you hit big."
NFL Draft Bible: The Philadelphia native was part of a rotation in his two seasons at Alabama, allowing him to stay fresh and play with a high motor. Barmore has the length to get into the chest of blockers and the leg drive to bull-rush them, which is a fantastic baseline to have on the interior. He is able to win with his strong and violent hands that allow him to deconstruct and keep his frame clean. When he locks out and plays at extension, he does well to control gaps and make plays up and down the line of scrimmage. Barmore is an above-average athlete with solid burst and some stiffness to him. He can lose off the line in the run game as he does not play with a low enough pad level to consistently gain leverage on blockers. He projects best as a power rushing defensive tackle who can pressure the passer consistently. Getting quicker with his hands and developing more of a pass-rush plan is key for someone who will undoubtedly be better in year two than year one. Barmore is a bit of a project, but has exciting pass-rush potential as well as two-gapping abilities in the run game thanks to his effort and strength. If Barmore is able to put it all together, he projects favorably as an upper-echelon interior rusher who is just now scratching the surface of what he could be."
