Strengths: Gets good hand placement and can reroute receivers. Has good range and can cover the deep half of the field. Reads quarterback's eyes, shows adequate ball skills and flashes big-play ability. Big enough to line up in the box, aggressive and can make plays at the line of scrimmage. Uses hands fairly well and flashes the ability to shed blocks quickly. Plays with a good motor, generally takes sound pursuit angles and always seems to be around the ball at the end of the play. Wraps upon contact and is a reliable open field tackler that flashes the ability to deliver the big hit. Times the blitz well, takes the shortest path to the quarterback and has good closing speed. Is a ball hawk and tries to strip the ball when in a trail position. Has experience covering kicks and should contribute on special teams. Hard worker on and off the field. Very good intangibles. Plays the game hard and shows good football intelligence. Quarterback of the secondary and leader of the defense.
Weaknesses: Takes false steps and can be vulnerable to play action. Will be slow to read his keys at times. Not as fluid in coverage as his workout times might indicate. Is unable to match up man-to-man versus most slot receivers. Footwork is inconsistent and gets flatfooted at times. He is big and aggressive but not quite the big hitter his measurables might indicate. Durability is a significant concern.
Overall: Barrett arrived at Arizona State in 2003 and played one game as a true freshman before injuring his shoulder and being granted a medical redshirt. In his first three seasons (2004-06), he appeared in 36 games (19 starts) and compiled 136 tackles (11 for losses), two sacks, three forced fumbles, 10 pass breakups and five interceptions. As a senior in 2007, he played in 11 games (eight starts) and had 38 tackles (four for losses), one sack, eight pass breakups and one interception. Barrett missed the Sun Devils' final two games in '07 because of knee sprain. He also was limited by a pectoral injury last season. His father, Grieg, played basketball at Nevada and his cousin, Jerald Moore, is a former NFL running back. Barrett is an enigma as a pro prospect. He has shown flashes of developing into a playmaking safety on the field but his inconsistency is concerning, as are his durability issues. On the flipside, Barrett is a remarkably gifted natural athlete for his size and he's a high-character, hard working team player with very good intangibles. Plus, some of his struggles can be chalked up to nagging knee and pectoral injuries that limited him physically. While it's easy to get caught up in his workout numbers and potential, Barrett does not play as fast as those times. Overall, he's worth the gamble early on Day 2 but no higher.
Honestly, no offense to anyone on this board but, based on the comments on his character and football intelligence he could have run a 5.34 and many would have said we should bring him in. As soon as someone sees "does not play as fast as he times" its like an automatic reaction where he is not a good fit becasue he is an underachiever.
