New England Patriots: Christian Barmore one of Belichick’s best draft prizes
When it comes to drafting defensive players, there is no better person to have in the draft room than New England Patriots head coach and front office guru Bill Belichick.
Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Vice Wilfork, Trey Flowers, Chandler Jones, Dont’a Hightower, Jerod Mayo, Jamie Collins, you get my drift? Well, now you can add Christian Barmore to that list.
Based on his rookie season, the Alabama product is trending towards a place on that list. Dominant, impactful, powerful and quarterback sack hungry, the beast in Barmore is only growing stronger as he enters his second NFL season.
You can throw N’Keal Harry, Dominique Easley, Cyrus Jones and Joejuan Williams at me all you want, but when it comes to interior defensive linemen and linebackers Belichick typically gets it right and Barmore is proving to be one of those special players and in Belichick’s eyes he is just getting better.
Christian Barmore is a talent the New England Patriots need along the defensive line
During his weekly press conference, the New England Patriots head coach spoke highly of the second-year talent, praising his progression so far this summer.
"“Christian’s done a good job,” Belichick said, via Patriots.com. “He’s way ahead of where he was last year. First of all, he’s in much better condition. Second of all, he has a much better understanding of what we do, what our opponents do, and the daily routine or the weekly routine of how the progression’s going to go, because he’s been through it. There were times, with all rookies, where they don’t expect it to be as much as it is, or they expect it to be more than what it is. Maybe fatigue they can’t get through, can’t pace themselves, just because they don’t know.”"
That is what makes Barmore’s rookie season even more impressive. He was a noticeable force in the anterior of that Patriots’ defensive line as the season progressed and by the middle of it, there was no more dominant duo than Matthew Judon coming off the edge and Barmore barricading offensive lineman up the middle. As long as his head stays on straight, sky’s the limit on how dominant this 2021 second-round pick can be with a season of experience under his belt.
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Belichick will be counting on that Year 2 leap, especially on a defense that has some question marks on all three levels. Already showing more understanding of the professional level of football, Barmore is trending in the right direction in Belichick’s eyes.
"“He has a better understanding of our scheme, the opponent’s scheme, what can happen, what’s a problem, how to handle those problems when they come up,” Belichick continued. “And his physical development, his techniques, his skills: overall strength, speed, stamina, have improved. They were good anyway, but they’ve gotten better through training. He’s making progress.”"
That progress will be in the spotlight in 2022. On a defense lacking defensive superstars, Christian Barmore could morph into such for the New England Patriots.
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While it is unfair to pencil him in on that list of Seymour, Wilfork and Warren, it is safe to say Belichick hit on this pick. As long as he’s on the field, he will be a force to be reckoned with.