Mark Barron Elite Rookie
October 3rd, 2012
There’s not a lot to be warm and fuzzy over with the Bucs these days, now dropping their 13th game in their last 14 outings.
The Redskins loss was a gut-puncher but Daniel Jeremiah believes Bucs fans have something to look forward to on football Sundays.
Jeremiah, a must-follow on Twitter who goes by the handle of “@MoveTheSticks,” is a former scout for the Ravens, Browns and Eagles and currently works for NFL.com and the NFL Network. His Twitter feed offers some of the most intelligent football analysis you will find.
Browsing through NFL rookies, Jeremiah likes no defensive rookie better than the Bucs Mark Barron.
@MoveTheSticks: TB safety Mark Barron has been the most impressive rookie defender that I’ve watched so far this season. Love how physical he plays!!
Jeremiah is right, Barron is already a beast. Joe still thinks it was appalling he got flagged for unnecessary roughness for a perfect form-fitting tackle Sunday, and let us not forget how he popped Robert Griffin III so hard once he sprung the ball loose.
The way Barron is playing, he may very well be Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik’s best draft pick in four years.
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:11 am
I love Barron…I have concerns on how the NFL Warden will react to his play at times, but he reminds me a lot of Lynch.
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:18 am
Barron is enough to make fans excited about this team! I still haven’t heard any explanation as to why the flag was thrown in the first place. The change in momentum is the main reason this team is losing games. Questionable penalty calls & questionable plays going against this team have taken the wind out of their sails more than a couple of times. I guess until they start winning on a regular basis the calls will never be in their favor. Normally the home team does get the calls, but not the Bucs!
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:18 am
I wouldn’t consider him elite, even a “rookie elite”, but in comparison to how most of the rest of the rookie defensive players are playing this year, he is definitely playing better.
His coverage skills leave a bit to be desired but that goes for most rookies.
His play against the run has been exemplary.
There is a lot to look forward to with this guy.
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:20 am
Lavonte David looks really good too.
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:28 am
lavonte david has been a monster!
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:32 am
The tackle that Barron made on Robert Griffin was text book to me. Can someone tell me what the call was? I was so sure it was penalty free play that I left the room before coming back to find out that the Redskins were way down field.
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:32 am
Barron is indeed an outstanding rookie this year. As Meh said so is David. If we get an early pick in the 2013 draft and it looks like we might, I would reccommend Eric Reid, FS, LSU. With Reid and Barron as 2-deep safties in our dime defense, our secondary would be formidable.
Like we added an impact player in Nicks to the O-Line this year, I would add an impact player on the D-Line in FA next year. Pass rushing DE or run stuffer DT.
Not given up on this year, just daydreaming!
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:52 am
Barron had a nice game 1, but has been MIA ever since. I liked his play at LoS, but too often Barron is being asked to cover the deep middle and he is just serving as the last line of defense with little chance to make splash plays. I am not implying Barron is underperforming, I am implying that our defensive scheme may not be making the best use of him yet.
I think Ronde Barber has to be the one to cover deep middle while Barron becomes the free lancer and/or in the box safety. He has the athleticism to catch up to players in coverage, great closing speed to bring pressure and that thump to stuff runs in the box. Barber no longer can do any of these things well and is giving up big play after big play by getting beat deep.
October 3rd, 2012 at 10:55 am
Id say Mike Williams is the rockstars best pick so far, given his production and where he was drafted.
Surely can’t complain about Barron though, he is real good.
October 3rd, 2012 at 11:14 am
Bucworld,
I think the NFL is going out of its way to protect Bob Griffin, who I believe has been anointed the new NFL poster boy. Apparently Barron was actually supposed to lift up Bob, then cradle him and gently set him down on the ground as if putting a baby into a crib. I was actually one of the few who didn’t mind the replacement refs because the regular refs make just as many bad calls, but we’re used to it by now so no one notices.
October 3rd, 2012 at 11:28 am
lightningbuc
I agree, that and all the whinning he did after the first 3 games. I actually thought he was one of the posters on this site he was whinning and crying so much! I also thought it was funny listening to the game on the radio and hearing Mr Deckerhoff talk about how he guesses teams will have to play two-hand touch against him now.
October 3rd, 2012 at 12:35 pm
OAR,
I was at the game, so missed Deckerhoff’s comment. That’s funny – i’m glad he agrees.
October 3rd, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Barring has been great so far. I’ll bet Schiano had more to do with Barring being picked than the Rock Star based on his past picks.
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Barron had a nice game 1, but has been MIA ever since?
——
Heh? He had 8 tackles on Sunday, a forced fumble, and a TFL. Not to mention he has had several pass breakups throughout his first 4 games. He’s been all over the field, and by no means MIA.
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:24 pm
I spilt my beer when he dropped Bobby Griffin in the backfield…when the flag came I threw ther remote. That is how I teach my kids to tackle, facemask to chest, drive with the legs, lift and plant! Perfect form tackle
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:37 pm
@colorado
Absolutely that is ow we are taught from day one of pee wee football, that was a bogus call Barron is a beast and will be an awesome addition to the bucs.i just hope we win throughout the years to convince him to stay and not sign with another team when his contract expires in five years. Barron is something special.
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Barron is an absolute beast, but David could end up being Dominck’s real signature pick. His impact has been bigger than just his position. He’s making that whole LB unit better. I’m already seeing scribes across the internet saying me might already be the best coverage linebacker in the league. Absolute stud.
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Great tackler but I need to see him make some more plays when it comes to coverage.
October 3rd, 2012 at 2:14 pm
ligthning
I wasn’t able to make this last one, but was able to make the home opener. Fortunately, we have a great radio man! He’s the best!
October 3rd, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Hawaiian
I agree! MIA? WTF!
October 3rd, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Lavonte David: Next Great Tampa LB?
Playing the most snaps of any Tampa Bay linebacker, rookie Lavonte David (+2.2) is quickly establishing himself as an indispensable player on the defensive side of the ball for Greg Schiano’s club. Along with fellow rookie Barron, David paced the defense this week. When the defensive line were often caught upfield, playing right into the hands of Washington’s zone blocking scheme, David had to bail his line out with 8 stops. With the Bucs facing a deficit for much of the second half, David’s drive killing tackles gave the ball back to its offense, which was actually starting to move the ball. Seemingly always around the ball, David was not fooled on a screen to Morris, blowing it up for a 4 yard loss. He still has some rookie “issues” to work out though, occasionally taking poor angles to rushes, but David is providing a sizeable upgrade over the play of Geno Hayes from last season. https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2012/10/02/refo-redskins-buccaneers-week-4/
October 3rd, 2012 at 9:54 pm
Definitely like Barron but I think thest pick in the last two years is Lavonte David…dude is a tackling machine…great pick!
October 3rd, 2012 at 11:10 pm
I’m going to reserve judgement on all of our rookies until a couple years down the road. With the bad luck we’ve had in the last 10 years or so, I don’t want to jinx anything. So far so good, but there’s a long way to go.
October 4th, 2012 at 8:17 am
Hawaiian Buc, that is wise. I was thinking right after I posted the above about the recent history the Bucs have had with guys playing well early, then going downhill.Think how good Geno Hayes looked at the end of 2009, for example.
October 4th, 2012 at 7:01 pm
@Mike J
Michael Clayton, Cadillac Williams, Tanard Jackson, Aaron Sears, just to name a few more.
October 8th, 2012 at 8:26 pm
I too am loving his physicality but he must become more consistent in the passing game. That said, only 4 games into his career, hopefully we can get the production we got out of Tanard and Flip in their better days but without the injuries or “extracurricular” off field issues.
October 8th, 2012 at 8:29 pm
@ Hawaiian
You really cant predict some of that stuff. Nobody expected Sears to have the mental issues he was battling, for TJax to be a mary jane addict (sounds ridiculous) or for Cadillac to be ran into the ground.