Alabama safety Mark Barron’s usual mock-draft landing spot is with the Cowboys at the No. 14 overall pick. But he won’t last that long, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter reported on ESPN’s SportsCenter draft special Wednesday that Barron will be drafted in the top-13 selections. “He will not make it to No. 14,” Schefter said. “Mark Barron will not reach the Cowboys’ turn.”
Schefter wrote something similar on Twitter earlier in the day.
Assuming Schefter’s prediction/report is correct, possible first-round landing spots for Barron may include the Panthers at No. 9, Bills at No. 10, and Chiefs at No. 11.
Also notable from Schefter’s on-air report was a hint that the Minnesota Vikings’ pick at No. 3 will likely come down to LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon. (Not USC tackle Matt Kalil.) So if Claiborne is off the board, it’s not inconceivable that Barron could emerge as an option as early as No. 5 to the Buccaneers, or No. 6 to the Rams.
Tampa Bay and St. Louis both have safety needs.