Detroit Lions should be very wary of LB Anthony Barr at No
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The Detroit Lions want to add a pass rushing linebacker in next week's NFL draft, and they might be tempted to take UCLA's Anthony Barr with the 10th overall pick.
If they do, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said it would be a mistake, perhaps of Gholston inian proportions.
"I still have kind of a fringe first /second round grade on him," McShay said of Barr during a conference call today. "I like him. I don't want to give the impression I don't like him, I just don't think he's as good as, maybe, where he is projected to go. I've seen recently and talked to http://www.wholesalejerseysusa.us.com/ people recently that said, 'No, he's a top 10 pick.' That's a reach. And I think you're taking a big gamble."
Most draft analysts projected Barr as a high first round pick entering last season, but McShay said the outside linebacker is "close to a one trick pony as a pass rusher" and Cheap Jerseys doesn't do a good enough job of setting the edge in the run game nor converting his speed to power when taking on offensive tackles.
Barr, whose father, Tony Brooks, played two seasons at fullback for the Philadelphia Eagles, was a running back himself until he switched positions before the 2012 season.
For that reason, many look at his upside and see an eventually elite pass rusher. But McShay invoked the name of all time draft bust Vernon Gholston when talking about the 6 foot 5, 255 pound Barr's floor.
"A lot of times with these pass rushers, we've seen guys go way too early," McShay said. "And I would classify him as a risk. I'm not saying he's Gholston. I think Gholston didn't have a love for the game and there was a passion that was missing and some instincts that were missing, but there have been some other pass rushers that have recently not worked out, and I think that that potential is there if Barr doesn't develop better hand usage and more power and become physical and aggressive and continue to improve his instincts."
With the Lions, Barr would fit as a strongside linebacker and could play defensive end in nickel situations. He had 10 sacks and 20 tackles for loss last year and 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss as a junior.
"I thought I was going to see a different player than what I actually saw when I studied the tape after the season," McShay said. "He wasn't bad. I don't want to give the wrong impression, but his take on skills have to improve. He's not very strong at the point of attack, he does not do a good job of setting the edge, he's close to a one trick pony as a pass rusher, in terms of just a speed rush. His speed to power moves, they stall.
"I think he can still be a very, very good player at the next level. I think it's a lot bigger of a projection still than I was expecting it was going to be at this point in the process."FOLLOW US.