Jahdae Barron vs. Maxwell Hairston: Which Prospect Fits Rams Best?

One of the least discussed, yet intriguing organizations in this year’s NFL Draft is the Los Angeles Rams. Sitting at No. 26 overall, they are one of the youngest teams in the league with a defense filled with recently-drafted players who have become quality starters in a short time. Now, general manager Les Snead will look to add more youth to a roster looking to make another jump.

Snead and head coach Sean McVay will be heading up a team that is in the perfect spot to take the best player available. They could go in numerous directions, including trading back or out of the first round entirely to narrow the gap between their first pick and second at No. 74.

One direction the Rams could go is cornerback, an area on their defense that currently lacks young quality talent at the position. Quentin Lake has been their starting nickelback for some time but he lacks the playmaking ability to be an effective defender in all facets. Two cornerback prospects that could be in play for Los Angeles are Texas' Jahdae Barron and Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston.

Both cornerbacks have been projected in the first round for months, specifically Barron with his versatile talent that makes him one of the best defensive backs in the class. I view Barron as a starting nickel at the next level. Hairston, on the other hand, could be a potential inside-out defender due to his size.

The question I ask here is which of the two players fits the Rams better? The answer may seem simple but when you get into the nitty-gritty and look at what they are both good at, it starts getting complicated.

Snead & Co. have been known to take the player for who they are and what they are good at, not what they struggle with. Those flaws can be developed over time, but it has made the Rams one of the best “draft and development” teams in the league.

Starting with Barron, his size and stature illustrate a defensive back who already looks like an inside defender or someone who can play as an overhang safety. He’s athletic with excellent short-area quickness, footwork, and twitch that allows him to be a disciplined defender in spacing assignments and when working in man or match duties.

Barron has served as a versatile defensive back that can play on the perimeter, reduced, or as a strong safety/box defender due to his physicality and processing ability to work into gaps and alleys and make tough tackles in space. His eyes in zone are splendid, allowing him to be an attacker at the catch point where he has thrived.

Hairston is similar to Barron in some regards. However, he offers more explosiveness and fluidity to play in any defensive system. Hairston plays with light feet and change of direction, allowing him to play with pace and work to the hip pocket of the receiver that will allow for attacks at the ball through the receiver.

The former All-SEC cornerback plays much bigger than his size and will make sufficient open field tackles while showing willingness and effort in run support to scrape over the top and get underneath opposing blockers to the ball carrier. Hairston also has good eye and coordination at the catch point to consistently make plays at the ball.

When getting into the full picture of these two players, it’s easy to see some of the similarities. However, I see Barron as the significantly better prospect and fit for the Rams for a few reasons.

Barron plays with more control and feel in zone spacing and as a run defender, allowing him to be an effective player in all facets. He mirrors better than Hairston in coverage and offers more versatility to play as a perimeter off-ball defender and safety if asked.

If it comes down to these two players at No. 26, Barron should be the selection. He is the playmaking defensive back the secondary needs to take the next step as a fully competent unit.

Barron is a Top 15 player in the draft, offering a skill set that could see him get drafted as high as the first 10 choices in the selection order. Whatever the Rams choose to do here, it would give fans something to be excited about this offseason.

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