I think that there are several key points that the Barwin detractors are missing. When Box was evangelizing him earlier in the season, I went around and tried to gather as much knowledge on him. I initally saw great production, but it wasn't until I watched him play that I really became interested.
What Barwin represents is not a rare athlete. What Barwin represents in my mind is likely the most legitimate Jack candidate the Patriots will have the opportunity to draft in a long time. He has the length, he has the vision, he has the motor, he has the fluidity, he has all of the athletic tools.
What the Barwin detractors selectively fail to realize is that he has all of the skills that mitigate bust potential. He has shown the ability to adapt and do so at a high level. He has succeeded in all three phases of the game. He takes rare angles, indeed, he intuitively understands football angles. He plays with his hands. He has shown the vision to read the QB while read the HB out of his peripheral and make the requisate check. He has displayed the awareness to realize he will not make the QB and gets his hands into the passing lane. He has shown work ethic, leadership and character. Barwin displays three year starter awareness in his first season playing the position. Think about that.
Football is one of those things that you need to intuitively understand to be any good at once the athleticism becomes even. You need to understand the ebb and flow of the game, understand why a blocker is trying to do what he is trying to do, understand situational tendencies and be aware of blocking fakes and misdirections. This is something that is both learned and understood inately. In order for a player to be effective in the NE scheme, they need to have this degree of genetic football aptitude. Barwin displays this better than any other Jack prospect available.
Does that warrant a "reach"? In my book, yeah, it does. People are too glued into colloquial tendencies and statistical measures of positional productivity. They need to first truely evaluate the prospect, then the team's needs, then the available tallent around that player's value, then FINALLY the "position". Just because a player posts insane athletic measurables it does not render the player incapable of grasping a scheme, working hard or making a transition.