Alabama’s Christian Barmore has been linked to the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason thanks to several mock drafts. Should the team have any concerns if it’s truly interested?
The Silver and Black have done a solid job of retooling the defensive line ahead of the NFL draft. A red flag last season, the Raiders had to upgrade their pass rush expeditiously. This was even more true with the hiring of Gus Bradley; his system requires a strong front four to generate pressure. Anyone who witnessed last year’s squad knows that their pass rush was anything but impressive. The question now becomes whether Barmore could help upgrade that unit.
Judging from his collegiate production, Barmore was beastly when it came to pass rushing. He totaled eight sacks, nine and a half tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, and three passes defensed. The six-foot-five defensive lineman would be an excellent addition in the middle of the Raiders’ defensive line. The unit got a boost with Yannick Ngakoue’s addition but the interior remains a question. Johnathan Hankins will be back but his strength lies in stopping the run.
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Should the Raiders be concerned?
Obviously, any prospect has concerns but Pro Football Focus recently spotlighted Barmore’s biggest con. According to the publication, Barmore’s game-to-game consistency should be worrisome for any team. They point out that many hoped Barmore would have a record-shattering season but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Instead, Barmore only generated two pressures on 87 snaps in games versus Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Florida. This puts a damper on his aforementioned season totals, in other words, he didn’t produce against upper-tier competition.
Such uneven production is certainly a concern in the grand scheme of things. However, Barmore did perform well in the college playoffs as PFF mentioned. Generating a 91.3 pass-rush grade off of 12 pressures against Notre Dame and Ohio State is noteworthy. If fully healthy, Barmore would surely have an impact in the middle considering the lackluster production from last year’s Raiders.
What are your thoughts on Barmore, Raider Nation? Let us know in the comments below!
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*Top Photo: Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser
