2021 NFL Draft: Christian Barmore bludgeons his way to top of IDL class
The Williams comparison
There may some skepticism surrounding Barmore’s sophomore season, as his jump in production — he had two sacks and six tackles for loss as a freshman — mirrors that of former Alabama first-round defensive lineman Quinnen Williams.
Williams had eight sacks and 19.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage in his sophomore year, leading him to be drafted third overall by the New York Jets before struggling as a rookie.
However, that comparison should no longer be seen as a negative, Williams having taken a leap of his own in his second year with the pros, recording seven sacks for the Jets in 2020. According to Pro Football Reference, Williams finished the campaign with 20 total pressures.
Like Williams did in the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup with Oklahoma during the 2018 season, Barmore enjoyed a coming out party on the big stage with draft season about to come into focus.
dark. Next. Buccaneers: 4 running backs to target in 2021 NFL Draft
Defensive tackles with his 310-pound frame who possess his athletic abilities and can win multiple ways as Barmore can are extremely valuable pieces of NFL defenses. By playing a starring role in the title game, Barmore could hardly have helped his stock more, with the superiority he enjoyed over the Ohio State offensive line likely to lure a team into making sure the most promising prospect of an underwhelming defensive tackle class is off the board on day one.