2012 NFL Draft: Shutdown Corner on Mark Barron and Dre Kirkpatrick

It is no secret that I love Alabama football players, but I try my best to be objective when it comes to those guys. So for this post I will just present you with some of the things that the guys over at Shutdown Corner, who are some of the best at evaluating players, had to say about them.

Here was the conclusion Mike Tanier reached on Mark Barron, who is their #19 player in the draft:

The pre-draft scuttlebutt has the Dallas Cowboys eager to select Barron. The Cowboys also selected big, hard-hitting safety Roy Williams back in 2002. Barron is better than Williams. That is hardly faint praise: Williams played in five Pro Bowls, though the last few were reputation selections. Barron provides all the hits, better pass coverage, and despite his Combine remarks, a lower probability of having an illegal tackle named in his honor.

OK I lied. I do have to say that Barron is better in coverage than most people are giving him credit for. He is a better in coverage version of Roy Williams.

Here was Doug Farrar's conclusion on Dre Kirkpatrick, who is their #18 player in this draft:

Like Cromartie when he came out of Florida State, Kirkpatrick is a natural press corner who alternates between impressive physical feats and occasionally startling bouts in which he seems to be a step behind the action. Kirkpatrick has far more experience than Cromartie did in a more pro-style defense and he's about 100 times more physical, but just as Cromartie's NFL career has typified the struggles common to most physically talented pass defenders who fail to grasp the fundamentals, Kirkpatrick has a lot to learn before he'll be one of the top cornerbacks at the professional level. Right now, he's got enough on the ball to merit a mid-first round pick, but the game tapes leave one wondering if he'll live up to his potential -- or be just another very good NFL role-player. He's capable of much more, but that's up to him.

He is right about Kirkpatrick getting lost at times. The 2010 Arkansas game is a great example of that. Kirpatrick pretty much single-handedly gave them 14 of their 21-0 lead that day. Bama came back and won, in case you were wondering.