The Atlanta Falcons could use an upgrade along the defensive line at nose tackle, and Christian Barmore should be it. Adding Barmore to the starting front three with Marlon Davidson and Grady Jarrett would give the Falcons a group that could thrive in Dean Pees’ scheme. Barmore has a perfect frame for a nose tackle and would excel in a penetrating 1-technique role.
DL Christian Barmore, University of Alabama
6-foot-5, 311 pounds
Stats and Awards
2020: 12 Games Played, 37 Tackles, 9.5 Tackles for Loss, 8.0 Sacks, 6 QB Hurries, 3 Fumbles Forced, 3 Pass Deflections, First-Team All-SEC, National Champion, National Championship Defensive MVP
2019: 12 Games Played, 26 Tackles, 6.0 Tackles for Loss, 2.0 Sacks, 5 QB Hurries, 2 Pass Deflections
2018: Redshirted
Highlights: Vs. Mississippi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L14Z7BCF-o
Strengths
Christian Barmore is a freakish athlete at the position and compares best to someone like Gerald McCoy on the field. He’s got a great first step off the line. His lateral mobility is exceptional, and he can play hash to hash with no issue. For a lineman, that exceptional athleticism will allow him to play anywhere from heads up on a center to off a tackle’s shoulder.
Barmore is exceptional as a run defender and has great power off the line. His functional strength is at a minimum excellent. He bullies his way through double teams all the time and is able to penetrate the line whenever he needs to. He’s a perfect power rusher with a bull rush that can decompress the middle of the pocket and force quarterbacks off their spot easily.
Something teams will love about Barmore is how quickly he improves from game to game. The more he plays, the more he knows and the better the angles and instincts he has. He’s extremely versatile, as he’s aligned at 3-technique, 1-technique and 5-technique during his time at Alabama. He has been equally effective in every role he played, and that will translate well.
Weaknesses
The Crimson Tide product has a lot of good traits, but he’s still extremely raw. He has issues with his hand technique not being close to there yet and would benefit from the mentoring of a guy who has great technique. While he did play for Alabama and was part of a National Championship team as a starter, Barmore needs more snaps and experience.
Leadership
Barmore’s effort is reminiscent of another Atlanta Falcon in Grady Jarrett. He goes 110 percent on every snap. While he was never a true leader at Alabama, he was a great teammate with the Crimson Tide and played well under the leadership there. He’s a hard worker on and off the field and fits in well with the NFL philosophy of working as hard off the field as you do on it.
Overview
NFL Stylistic Comparison/Best Case Scenario: Marcus Stroud
The beastly Barmore compares best to another penetrating nose tackle in Marcus Stroud. He was a good fit for the same role that Barmore would be despite it being a different scheme. He never was a 10-sack guy, but he would eat double teams, attack from the 3-technique and 1-technique as a penetrating lineman and averaged around 3.5 sacks a year with good run defense.
How Barmore would fit into the Falcons’ plans
The Falcons could take him if he somehow falls to pick No. 35 overall. If he’s there, they should sprint to the podium because he’s a mid-first round level talent. Barmore is a penetrating nose tackle that would be perfect for the Falcons’ scheme and could instantly be a great starter.
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