Inside the War Room: 2021 NFL Draft defensive player review
By John Blair
2021 NFL Draft prospects: Stock down
Carlos Basham Jr., DE, Wake Forest
The 2020 season was Basham’s worst season of his career as he saw a significant dip in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss this season. While this dip can be attributed to the fact he only played in seven games, he also went from the All-ACC team in 2019 to the third team this year.
When watching the film he didn’t look like the player who had a mid-first round grade going into the season. At times, he looked disinterested in the game and was able to get pushed around by offensive linemen especially in the run game. His ability to play the run will be a major factor in where he is drafted as he lacks the speed you see out of a player like Miami’s Gregory Rousseau.
His outstanding weight room numbers should allow him to hold up better vs. the run as according to Bruce Feldman’s 2020 Freak List, Basham bench presses more than 400 pounds and squats more than 700 pounds. Overall, I could see a team taking Basham high in the second round due to his strong testing numbers and impressive 2019 film.
Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade was supposed to have a breakout season this year, having moved from a nickel cornerback to a starting role. However, the season did not go the way Wade wanted it to go as he had his troubles all season long and looked especially bad against Penn State and Indiana.
The trait that he seemed to lack which really hurt him is an ability to close any separation wide receivers got on him. He also was not the most physical corner in the Big Ten and could be beaten by bigger receivers at the catch point. The fact he struggled on the outside this year could force Wade to move to safety in the NFL, where he can match up more against tight ends in coverage.
Dylan Moses, MLB, Alabama
This has been a rough couple of years for Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses. In 2019, he suffered a torn ACL, which cost him the entire season, and this year he has had his struggles on the field. The area he has struggled the most is with instincts and overall play recognition.
In pass coverage, he has trouble locating the receiver and often ends up covering just space. He is also slow to recognize if a play is play-action or a run which often leads to him getting out of position.
Another concern Moses has is how much he struggles getting off blocks. Once an offensive tackle gets his hands on Moses the play is over, as he is routinely overpowered. Teams will like the athletic ability and closing speed Moses shows, and one of these teams will likely pick him in the third round area hoping they can transition his natural skills into a smarter player who can earn a starting job in the NFL.
Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
You often won’t see two Alabama players on a list of prospects who are being overrated, but that is the case with Dylan Moses and Christian Barmore. While Barmore impresses with his outstanding power, size, and active hands he might not be the type of player the NFL values as much as they would have 10 to 15 years ago.
The main reason for this is he is more of a big-bodied defensive tackle (6-foot-5, 310 pounds), then a quick penetrating defender the NFL tends to prefer currently. While Barmore did lead the Tide in sacks this year with 6.5, I have a hard time seeing him put up this production in the NFL due to his average speed off the line of scrimmage and that he can only win with power.
I also worry about his high pad level which will allow NFL offensive lineman to neutralize his strength. When projecting Barnmore to the next level his best fit will probably be with a 3-4 defense that allows him to play nose tackle.