I've called Barwin my favorite 3-4 OLB prospect since 2005. That led me to reflect a bit on past years. In particular, I've been thinking a bit about last year's draft, when people were debating between Chris Long, Vernon Gholston and Quentin Groves as 3-4 OLB prospects.
I never thought Gholston would be a good 3-4 OLB. He seemed too muscled and bulky, without the agility or mental makeup to read and react and play in space. I thought Chris Long would actually make a nice 3-4 OLB (and still think he could), though he is a bit heavy for that position. His 7.04 3-cone was quite decent, and he obviously had a great motor and intangibles. I didn't think he was a realistic option, though, because he was probably going to go top 5 and the cost of a conversion project that high in the draft seemed prohibitive.
Of the 3, Groves seemed the most natural fit, and was the most likely to be available at a point in the draft where a DE/OLB conversion would not breakl the bank. While #10 was always too high for Groves, if we had been allowed to keep our #31 pick I think a lot of people would have been salivating over him as a 3-4 OLB prospect. At 6'3" 259# he had great size. He had 4.53 speed, and was an excellent pass rusher. He had some experience at OLB as well as at DE in college. He compiled impressive stats at a top SEC program.
But he also had a lot of issues. His 3-cone time of 7.31 was much slower than you would like (considerably slower than Long's 7.04, despite Long running a 4.75 40 compared with Groves' 4.53), and suggested that his speed might be more linear, without the necessary agility to play well in space. He didn't fare particularly well when he played 3-4 OLB at Auburn. He was week against the run He had some off-field issues. And he had questions about his motor and work habits. NFLdraftcountdown negatives on their profile of Groves included: "Extremely inconsistent and lacks a great motor...Undersized and doesn't have the ideal bulk that you look for..Isn't stout at the point...Marginal instincts, awareness and recognition...Limited pass rush repertoire...Too aggressive at times...Slow off the line...Has trouble shedding blocks...Poor technique..A questionable work ethic."
Better Know a Draft Prospect: Defensive End QuentinGroves - Big Cat Country
A lot of people, including many on this board, openly lusted for Groves and were very upset when he fell to #52 and we didn't move up to get him. I was never a Groves fan, mainly because of his poor 3-cone and his character issues.
What I like so much about Barwin is that he has the size AND the speed AND the agility AND the background playing in space AND the versatility AND the motor AND the intelligence AND the character. No one else has all of those. Not Long, Gholston, or Groves. Not Matthews, English, Sintim, Maybin, Ayers, Brown, Orapko, Cushing, or Michael Johnson. Not Manny Lawson, Chad Greenway or Bobby Carpenter in 2006. The only strike I can see against him is that he is raw. And he is, as far as DE pass-rushing technique goes. But he's been a very quick learner, and my guess is that he will make rapid progress under Pepper's tutelage if the Pats get him. Worst case that I see is that he becomes a Gocong, which, as BOR notes, is not exactly the end of the world.
