Packer Central

PFF Says This Cornerback Is Packers’ ‘Perfect’ Draft Prospect

The Green Bay Packers have a big need at cornerback. This All-American is the “perfect” option for the Packers.

Bill Huber

Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron (7) celebrates after a sack during the second quarter against Ohio State.
Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron (7) celebrates after a sack during the second quarter against Ohio State. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – At this time last year, the Green Bay Packers had a seemingly obvious need at cornerback, but general manager Brian Gutekunst bet on the returning group.

While he didn’t exactly lose that bet, he didn’t win, either.

Jaire Alexander? Injured again. Eric Stokes? Healthy but unproductive.

Fortunately for the Packers, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine played well enough to at least get the Packers into the playoffs. Green Bay won 11 games due in part to a defense that finished sixth in points allowed.

With Alexander missing double-digits games for the third time in four seasons and potentially on the trade block, Stokes failing to break up a pass for a third consecutive season and headed to free agency and deep backups Robert Rochell and Corey Ballentine set to join Stokes in free agency, the Packers might need to select cornerbacks early and often in April’s draft.

The “perfect” draft pick for the Packers, according to Pro Football Focus’ Jordan Plocher and Josh Liskiewitz, is Texas All-American Jahdae Barron.

“The top 50 is rich with talent at the position,” they wrote of the cornerback class. “Jahdae Barron was one of the top CBs in all of college football in 2024. He was tested 66 times in coverage, allowing just 35 receptions and 272 with no touchdowns. He picked off three balls and broke up another 10 passes. Opposing QBs had a dismal 31.9 passer rating when throwing at Barron.”

Barron saved his best for last. According to PFF, Barron in the SEC championship against Georgia and playoff games against Arizona State and Ohio State allowed 4-of-10 passing for 28 yards with one interception.

As a fifth-year senior, Barron was a first-team All-American, winner of the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and MVP of the Peach Bowl, when he had 11 tackles against Arizona State. Against the explosive Buckeyes, he allowed just 1-of-2 passing for 7 yards

“I did that last year, and it messed me up. It messed me up just mentally, things like that,” he said of reflecting on his success. “I’m just going about it, it’s just business. We’re not promised the next second, so I’m just enjoying every single moment that I have. I’m not looking back. I’m not looking past. I’m just enjoying every single moment, every single second.”

The last three seasons, Barron allowed two touchdown passes (both in 2023) and intercepted eight passes. He was excellent in zone coverage, which is how Jeff Hafley would prefer to play, and a high-quality run defender, as well.

“He’s got a very high football IQ,” Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said via The Express News. “He’s a physical player for a defensive back, a heady player. He’s aware. He can cover. He can tackle. He can blitz.”

In 2023, he played mostly in the slot. In 2024, he played mostly on the perimeter.

“I study,” Barron said. “It wasn’t just because I was being aggressive. I knew it was happening before it even happened. It’s like taking candy from a baby.”

One potential imperfection?

Barron’s mentality would fit well in Green Bay, where coach Matt LaFleur focuses on the process rather than the results. So long as the process is sound, he believes, the results will follow.

“I try to tell myself, can I be committed to the process without ultimately being tied to the result of what I’m doing?” Barron said via The Daily Texan. “So, every day, can I just get up and just go to work and not look (at) what I’m going to get out of it? Can I just be committed to the process without being tied to the results of what I’m doing?

“And I think every day, if I have that mindset, and I can just go to work and just go to work and try to get 1 percent better every day, I think that’s been the best thing for me.” 

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.