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4. Derrick Barnes, Purdue
6-foot, 245 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: Third round

A player who is raising up the draft board is Purdue’s Derrick Barnes. In 2019, Barnes played primarily outside linebacker and finished second on the team with 63 tackles and tied for the team lead in sacks with 7.5. This past season he moved to more of an inside linebacker role and was able to account for 54 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. He finished up his career at Purdue with a strong pro day running a 4.57 40-yard dash and having a vertical jump of 37-inches.

Barnes is one of the more versatile players in the 2021 NFL Draft, as he has the ability to play either outside or inside linebacker in the NFL. As a pass rusher, he uses his hands well and is able to get off blocks consistently. While playing the run Barnes is a physical player who is not afraid to come down and thump the ball carrier. NFL scouts and coaches also like the intensity he plays with and his overall passion for the game.

While Barnes posted some impressive numbers at his pro day one number that could give him some issues is his height. Coming in at 6-foot he is on the shorter side which could cause him to last until the third day of the 2021 NFL Draft. He does have some struggles in pass coverage as well since he does not have the most fluid hips for a linebacker.

Overall, Barnes is someone who could fill numerous roles for an NFL team. He could easily play middle linebacker on first and second down then shift to outside linebacker where he can rush the passer on third downs. He should be able to help out on special teams as well since he is a good athlete who has the mentality for this type of role in the NFL.