Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Fits: DL Christian Barmore Scouting Report
AllBucs is currently scouting notable prospects at numerous positions of need for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the upcoming NFL Draft. Those will be released over the coming weeks, and we'll be posting individual scouting reports for notable prospects along the way.
Today, we begin with Alabama defensive lineman Christian Barmore, who declared for the draft following his third season of college football and first as a starter. Below is Barmore's entire scouting report, completed by Zach Goodall, and the argument for and against the Buccaneers potentially selecting him.
Scouting report: Christian Barmore, defensive lineman, Alabama
Games watched: Auburn (2020), Florida (2020 - SEC Championship), and Notre Dame (2020 - College Football Playoff semifinals)
Christian Barmore is a large and fast (4.93-second 40-yard-dash fast) defensive tackle from Alabama that offers potential as a three-down, hand-in-the-dirt lineman in a 3-4 or 4-3. Ideally, he'll play 1-technique through 4i and can frequently move between those positions, but the agility isn't there to threaten edge consistently. That is backed by his poor results in the 3-cone (7.81) and short shuttle (4.75) drills at Alabama's pro day.
Barmore was a one-year starter at Alabama and was hampered by a knee injury at the beginning of the 2020 season, which limited his production. I watched three late-season performances for a better feel for his game at full strength. In 11 games, he recorded 37 tackles, eight sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, three batted passes, and 39 quarterback pressures (per PFF).
A decent chunk - certainly over half - of the film I watched included Barmore facing double teams, and I can't remember many times where he was overpowered or put in the dirt against those blocks. He tended to hold his own, and although he may not have impacted plays head-on, his presence freed up space for edge rushers to operate within.
However, there were several occurrences where he was stalled near or pushed beyond the line of scrimmage and kept from the action in the backfield. Interestingly despite his 6-4, 310-pound frame, Barmore was rarely on the field in goal-line packages in the games observed. When he was (vs. UF), he lost gap responsibility which ended in a QB keeper touchdown on one play, and was pancaked by UF's lackluster right-side offensive line. He was removed from those packages from then through the Notre Dame game.
Indicated by his stats above, Barmore made his (soon-to-come) money as a pass rusher for the Crimson Tide. Often in one-on-one situations and occasionally against double teams, Barmore could easily transition his power (typically a bull rush) into a speed rush with an effective dip working outside against interior linemen and polished hand usage to slap away opposing arms. His hands will need to get stronger at the next level to consistently shock the hands of NFL linemen, but in general, they currently get the job done and move swiftly to confuse blockers.
Barmore deploys a successful bull-rush in one-on-ones, displaying lower-body strength and adequate hand usage to successfully push the pocket. His pass-rushing strength is also visible when he utilizes a push-pull move. When Barmore successfully lands his initial punch in his blocker's chest and gets a grip of their jersey, he's repeatedly locked his arms out before throwing the blocker into the dirt as he slides into the backfield. Barmore is also an effective rusher on stunts, seen several times when he lined up as nose tackle/1-technique and crossed the face of the right guard. His dip rush is effective against interior blockers who tend to lack the length of offensive tackles.
With polished hands, Barmore should be able to add moves to his proverbial rushing arsenal over the years to become a more threatening, three-down player. He likes to stutter-step and counter inside as a pass-rusher, which could become dangerous with added moves such as a consistent long-arm or cross-chop.
Barmore has tripped up numerous times on film when widening out as rusher beyond the offensive tackle's outside shoulder, which should keep him from playing on the edge consistently if at all. His power will also need to improve against run blocks when blockers attack him vertically, in order to maintain gap responsibility and make his way to the ballcarrier to create plays in the backfield. I've seen him convert power into speed, but not so much vice versa.
Barmore is a hustler, typically seen chasing plays down the field and attempting to make tackles that the secondary and linebackers probably could have handled. You like to see that from an effort perspective, but there are times where his motor could improve in the trenches at the same time. I wouldn't consider this a red flag, at least yet, though. A testament to his hustle, Barmore is consistently capable of disengaging one hand as a bull-rusher to attempt to swat passes. He succeeded thrice in the 2020 season and sometimes looks as if he's attempting to block a field goal as he stretches toward the passer.
All in all, I really like what Barmore has to offer as a pass rusher immediately, and I believe he can turn into a capable three-down defensive lineman on the proper development track. He'll need time to add strength to his strikes and to crash run plays at the line of scrimmage, but offers a mix of speed and power on pass rushes. Barmore offers NFL-ready size and so long as he adds strength, he should eventually be able to handle double-team blocks at the pro level.
Barmore should not be an immediate starter with his first NFL team. He would benefit from beginning in a late-down, pass-rushing role while developing his run-stuffing ability behind the scenes. A year in a depth role behind accomplished defensive ends/tackles could teach Barmore a lot and turn him into a productive, all-around starter in year two.
Should the Buccaneers consider selecting Barmore if he's available at pick No. 32?
One of Tampa Bay's biggest needs in this draft is considered a future need: An heir to Ndamukong Suh (and/or William Gholston) at defensive end in the Buccaneers' 3-4 scheme. With that being said, Barmore would be a sensible choice for Tampa Bay with their first-round selection.
Barmore, along with the majority of this defensive line class, requires a lot of projection in his NFL projection. He isn't a sure thing but offers a lot of potential and the ideal makeup of a pro defensive lineman.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, can afford to take risks on high-potential prospects. With all 22 starters returning from the 2020 Super Bowl roster, no draft pick will be forced into a crucial role immediately unless an injury at their position pops up.
Barmore could greatly benefit from soaking in the knowledge and tips that Suh and Gholston have to offer throughout his rookie season in hopes of becoming a more complete defensive lineman. Then, most likely next year as Suh and Gholston will be free agents in 2022, Barmore would ideally be ready to take over as a starter.
