Broncos draft Jahdae Barron: Here’s how the national media graded the pick

The Broncos beefed up their secondary on Thursday, selecting Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with the No. 20 overall pick in the NFL draft.

Barron joins a cornerback corps that includes Riley Moss and reigning NFL defensive player of the year Pat Surtain II.

Here’s a look at how national analysts are grading the selection:

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco (Grade: B-): “He is a good defensive back who can do a lot of things. I think he will play inside on the next level, but he can play outside and he play safety if need be. He’s just a good football player, but is he a pure corner?”

For The Win’s Michelle R. Martinelli, Christian D’Andrea and Robert Zeglinski (Grade: C+): “Oh, huh. Rather than swing for a much-needed bellcow tailback, the Broncos decided to roll with Barron to further bolster a secondary that didn’t really need pressing help. That’s… kind of perplexing.

“Nonetheless, Barron is an instinctive nickel cornerback with above-average size and strength. He’ll bully receivers, and honestly, he’ll probably even have his way with tight ends sometimes. Barron is a smart player who is seldom caught out of position, making him a nice fit for the already great Broncos defense. The vision here probably aligns with Denver ensuring it has a solid third cornerback against the base three-receiver formation of most NFL offenses these days. From this perspective, the pick is easy to understand.”

Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame (Grade: B+): “Barron is the best slot corner in this draft. The former Longhorns star played 57 games over his five years in Austin, notching eight interceptions including five as a redshirt senior. He comes into the league with solid size for a nickel back at 5’11” and 195 pounds, helping him utilize physicality on the inside.”

Yahoo! Sports’ Charles McDonald (Grade: B): “Whew, this gives the Broncos a crazy trio of cornerbacks. Pat Surtain, Riley Moss and Jahdae Barron could be the best cornerback room in the league and will create a true “no-fly” zone for opposing quarterbacks. Barron can also play downhill like a safety and makes a lot of tackles in the open field.”

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