Dallas Cowboys Draft: 7 defensive tackle prospects in 7 different rounds

Christian Barmore, Alabama

Value: Big Reach

The name you probably expected is our first defensive tackle off the board. At 6-foot-4, 310 pounds the redshirt sophomore has good size and athletic ability to lineup anywhere in between the A and D gaps. He proved that was the case his final two games in a Crimson Tide uniform.

Barmore’s value comes as a pass rusher. His good athletic ability helps with generating good upfield burst, good power at the point of attack, and good lateral quickness and bend to utilize counter moves or win with speed and bend. Barmore has by far the best athletic profile as an interior guy in this class because he displays the ability to win in a multitude of ways, but his inconsistencies as a pass rusher and general poor form of play before the CFB championship do put into question his competitive toughness and general coachability.

As a run defender, Barmore is a work in progress. He has familiarity one and two gapping, but he isn’t proficient in either. He understands how to win with leverage but his footwork his generally pretty bad that it leaves him unable to leverage gaps and use his good play strength and explosiveness to eat up space and constrict lanes for the running back.

If Barmore was a lot better run defender and showed consistency in his pass rush plans he likely would be on the Cowboys’ radar at pick 10. However, grabbing a prospect like him so early when there are better prospects available at cornerback and offensive line seems like a significant mismanagement of assets.