Where will Texas Longhorns cornerback Jahdae Barron land in the 2025 NFL Draft?
Ranked as second-best corner by Pro Football Focus, Barron is a versatile defender in the secondary who could excel in the NFL as a cornerback, physical nickel back or even a safety in the league.
As a high impact defender, Barron left his mark in the SEC in 2024 with 46 solo tackles, 5 interceptions and 11 passes defensed. That was good enough for an overall PFF grade of 90.7 and a coverage grade of 91.1. Those grades describe a player who is all over the field and finds a way to make the right play at the right time.
Barron also showed off his speed as a defender with an impressive 4.39-second 40-time at the NFL Combine. That combination of versatility, instincts and speed will make the Texas product a Day 1 impact player in the league, especially if he can improve on his man coverage skills.
In all, Barron is one of the top 3 defensive backs entering the draft and should be high on the draft board for any team seeking help in the secondary.
2025 NFL Draft: Jahade Barron is a ballhawk any NFL team would love to have
Jahade Barron is not only the second ranked corner by PFF, but he has also risen as the No. 8 ranked prospect in Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50 NFL prospect rankings. The NFL Draft analyst sees the former Texas star as a versatile defensive back excels at reading the field and being where he needs to be to make an impact in games.
Jeremiah writes:
“Barron is a talented Swiss Army Knife. He aligned outside, in the slot and in the box as a dime linebacker for the Longhorns. He made impact plays in every game I studied. He’s a quicker-than-fast athlete with outstanding eyes and conviction. He’s at his best when he can play off and see through receivers to the quarterback. He reads the QB’s drop and anticipates to beat pass catchers to the ball. He doesn’t waste steps and has outstanding hands. He lacks elite top speed, but he’s always in position and he is excellent at locating/playing the football downfield. He has good timing and feel as a blitzer. He can adjust from pass to run defense to collect tackles.”
3 interesting NFL fits for Jahdae Barron
As a physical nickel back during his time with the Longhorns, this 5-foot-10, 194-pound cornerback plays big and seems to always be at the right place at the right time. Coming off an impressive 2024 season, Barron’s draft stock continues to rise as his smothering defense and instincts in coverage makes him a high-level defender NFL teams selecting high in the draft will look at as one of the top cornerback targets in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Here are the 3 top fits for the elite Texas Longhorns defensive back:
Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars top two needs in the 2025 NFL Draft is on the interior of the defensive line and in the secondary. If Mason Graham is off the board with the Jaguars select at No. 5, Jahdae Barron must be a target. Described by Jeremiah as a “talented Swiss Army Knife”, Barron would bring defensive leadership and a high-level impact to the Jaguars’ secondary.
New Orleans Saints: The Saints traded away Marshon Lattimore in 2024 which sparks a big need at the cornerback position. Lucky for the Saints, this is a deep draft for corners, and they should be in position to draft either Barron or Michigan star Will Johnson. Either would be a solid selection for the Saints at No. 9, but in Barron they get a player who is multi-dimensional in his coverage skills.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Barron won’t or at least shouldn’t slip down to No. 19, but if the Buccaneers are aggressive and trade up, the Texas product would be a nice fit for the Buccaneers. His quickness as a defender and ballhawk ability will help Tampa improve defensively and become a team to watch in the NFC.