Jahdae Barron Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Brett Patzke/IMAGN Images)
School: Texas
Class: Senior
Position: CB
HT: 5’11
WT: 194 lbs
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Background: Jahdae Barron played cornerback in high school but has since made the transition to safety in college. Barron was a 4-star defensive back in the class of 2020. He was a top 10 cornerback in the class and a top 150 player nationally. Barron played for Connally High School in Austin, Texas. He was an all-state selection as a senior and he was an all-district selection twice. Along with football, Jahdae also competed at a high level in track and field. Jahdae Barron chose to stay home and play for Texas over the likes of Baylor and Oklahoma State.
College: As a freshman in 2020, Barron saw limited action in 5 games. In 2021, he played in 9 games with 2 starts. His impact on the Texas defense really began to be felt in 2022. He started in 9 games that year, totaling 78 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 2 interceptions, and 3 PBUs. He was recognized as an honorable mention All-Big 12. Barron recorded 6 pass breakups in 2023 and was named a Second Team All-Big 12 member. Barron started every game for the Longhorns in 2024 and had 5 interceptions on the season. He was an All-SEC First Team selection.
Strengths: Jahdae Barron is a versatile defensive back with experience all over the secondary during his time at Texas. As a cornerback, Barron is aggressive in man coverage. In press coverage, he invites that physicality and uses it to jam receivers and knock them off their route. When playing softer man coverage, Barron does not have a traditional backpedal. Barron keeps his hips open to the inside of the field so his transition to a full sprint is much quicker and more fluid. Barron is a magnet for the football. Whether it is an interception or a pass breakup, Jahdae finds a way to get his hands on the ball. When playing high safety, Barron does well to close in on the football and meet it at the intended target on those underneath concepts. He diagnoses schemes and route trees in front of him very quickly, allowing him to trigger downhill quickly. As a run defender, Barron plays with the same aggressiveness. He is a willing tackler and shows an incredible effort to go make a play in the run game.
Weaknesses: Barron’s arm length and overall measurables are rather lackluster. His lack of length shows up in all phases of the game. When in coverage in the deep areas of the field, Barron can get beat for the football by those bigger boundary receivers with pure size. In the run game, Barron has trouble wrapping up. Too often he tries to tackle at the ankles, allowing the ball carrier to slip right through his hands. He tries to make up for his size by getting aggressive throughout the route, leading to the occasional penalty.
Conclusion: Jahdae Barron is an effective player at multiple spots in the secondary. His size concerns may prevent him from playing boundary corner but he can be an elite safety or nickel in the NFL very early on. His ball production is undeniable and is easily translatable to the NFL game.
Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile
Ideal Role: Nickel
Best Team Fits: LAC, MIA, JAX
Player Comparison: Roger McCreary
Player Grade: Round 2 (86.6)
