In terms of what a defensive player can do, you can’t ask for much more than what ultra versatile linebacker Justin Barron might bring to an NFL team.
Barron did a little bit of everything at Syracuse in terms of on-field production and playing different positions. He started his career as a wide receiver before playing safety, nickel and linebacker while racking up 293 career tackles, 20 TFL, 2 interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 14 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries.
That kind of across the board production led the Dallas Cowboys to make him one of the NFL’s highest paid undrafted free agents and could lead to Barron, 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, eventually making the 53-man roster.
PFF’s Ben Cooper singled Barron out as the “One UDFA to Watch” on the Dallas roster in 2025.
“Barron garnered $234,000 in guaranteed money with a $20,000 signing bonus from Dallas, making him one of the team’s highest-paid undrafted free agents,” Cooper wrote on May 13. “It was warranted for the Syracuse product, who proved himself as a valuable coverage defender and run defender with the Orange … DeMarvion Overshown’s late-season injury and Kenneth Murray’s shaky reputation could create room for Barron in the Cowboys’ linebacker rotation.”
Barron Registered Elite Grades in Pass Coverage
Where Barron really separated himself was in pass coverage — no surprise — where he allowed just 2 touchdowns on 144 targets with 9 pass deflections and 3 interceptions during his career. He was also a better than average run defender with a run defense grade over 70 from PFF for 3 consecutive seasons.
Barron also looked good in 1 on 1 drills at the Senior Bowl.
Barron’s numbers from Syracuse Pro Day were also excellent, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds along with a 34.5 inch vertical leap and 10-foot broad jump.
From Cowboys.com: “Barron spent five years at Syracuse and moved to the defensive side of the ball after playing wide receiver in high school. He’d go on to play safety, nickel and linebacker for the Orange, earning honorable mention All-ACC honors in his last two seasons, where he was also a team captain. He started 26 straight games in final two years and led the team in tackles last season with 93, adding 9.5 TFLs and two sacks.”
Gauging What Experts Think of Barron
The most obvious thing to wonder about Barron is that if he’s so good, why wasn’t he drafted?
The most obvious answer would be his weight held him back. At 225 pounds, he’s a tad light for an inside linebacker and a tad heavy and a tad slow to be a safety. That’s the definition of a tweener.
“Justin Barron is a converted safety who could potentially become a decent coverage linebacker in the NFL,” Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder wrote in his pre-draft evaluation, projecting Barron as a priority undrafted free agent. “However, his run defense and tackling need work, which likely pushes him into undrafted-free-agent territory. Barron figures to spend his first year or two in the NFL on a practice squad, but he has the potential to eventually become a decent backup linebacker and special teams contributor.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post ‘Ultra Versatile’ UDFA Linebacker Could Crack Cowboys’ 53-Man Roster appeared first on Heavy Sports.