NFL Draft Profile: Denver Broncos cornerback Jahdae Barron

The Denver Broncos selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with their 20th overall selection in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Denver Broncos selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with their 20th overall selection in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He is a 5’11, 194-pound cornerback who was viewed as one of the top cornerbacks in the entire draft. The Athletic’s draft analyst, Dane Brugler, had Barron graded as his 30th overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft and ranked him as the third-best cornerback in the entire draft.

Barron was a three-year starter for the Texas Longhorns and was the Jim Thorpe Award winner this past year, which goes to the best defensive back in college football that past year. During his career at Texas, Barron played in 57 games, which included 39 starts and totaled 227 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 32 pass deflections, and 8 interceptions. This past year, he started all 16 games and totaled 67 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 16 pass deflections, and 5 interceptions.

Player Profile

Jahdae Barron | Cornerback | Broncos

• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 194 pounds
• Hands: 9 ¹⁄₂ inches
• Arm Length: 29 ³⁄₄ inches
• Wingspan: 73 ³⁄₄ inches
• Age: 23 years old
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.39 seconds
• 10-Yard Split: 1.55 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 35 inches
• Broad Jump: 10’3”
• Short Shuttle: 4.2 seconds
• 3-Cone Drill: 7.05 seconds

Film Room

Scouting Report

Strengths

• High football IQ and elite instincts
• Awareness and Play recognition skills are top notch
• Physical and aggressive corner
• Versatile and can play all over the secondary (Defensive ‘Joker’)
• Inside/outside versatility but profiles as a slot corner
• Excellent athlete with fluid movement skills and body control
• Has a nose for the football and ball-hawking skills
• He was one of the best corners in zone coverage in college football last season
• Really good tackler who isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder (19.5 career TFLs)
• Has quick hands and will get plenty of PBU’s
• Can be used as a blitzer from the slot position
• High-character player who will improve a locker room
• Experienced starter with no real injury concerns
• Jim Thorpe Award winner in 2024

Weaknesses

• Likely a slot only cornerback (but a damn good one)
• Has shorter arms than you would like for an NFL cornerback
• Can have some issues in deep coverage and with vertical shots
• Has to be careful about being too physical in coverage at times

Jahdae Barron’s RAS

What other analysts are saying about Broncos cornerback Jahdae Barron

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler on CB Jahdae Barron

A three-year starter at Texas, Barron played the STAR hybrid position in defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s zone-heavy scheme, seeing time at corner, safety, nickel and dime. After playing primarily inside as an underclassman, he moved outside in 2024 (69.9 percent of his snaps at corner, 30.1 percent in slot/box/post) and led the SEC in both interceptions (five) and passes defended (16). He became the third Longhorn to win the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back. Barron holds a master’s degree in coverage schemes and has done a great job developing the mental part of his game, giving himself a headstart keying and diagnosing the quarterback and blocking scheme.

Though he doesn’t have the movement burst for easy recoveries, he plays with supreme confidence and physicality without crossing the line, especially in zone coverage (two pass interference penalties over his last 35 games in college). Overall, Barron doesn’t have the top-tier size that most teams prioritize at the position, but he trusts his instincts and competes with the toughness and ball skills to hold up versus pass or run. Some teams view him as a nickel-only prospect, while others see his value to play multiple positions across the secondary.

NFL Network’s draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah who had him graded as his 10th best player in the draft

Barron is a talented Swiss Army Knife. He aligned outside, in the slot and in the box as a dime linebacker for the Longhorns. He made impact plays in every game I studied. He’s a quicker-than-fast athlete with outstanding eyes and conviction. He’s at his best when he can play off and see through receivers to the quarterback. He reads the QB’s drop and anticipates to beat pass catchers to the ball. He doesn’t waste steps and has outstanding hands. He lacks elite top speed, but he’s always in position and he is excellent at locating/playing the football downfield. He has good timing and feel as a blitzer. He can adjust from pass to run defense to collect tackles. His batting average as a tackler in space is very high. Overall, Barron excels at taking the ball away and reminds me of Brian Branch when he was coming out of Alabama.

How CB Jahdae Barron fits on the Broncos

He will instantly slot in as the Broncos’ starting slot corner and give the Broncos another talented corner to pair with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss.

He’s a versatile Swiss-Army knife that is physical, has great instincts, and a nose for the football. The Broncos’ defense already looked like one of the best units in the league, and they made a strength even stronger with this pick.

It’s a great selection, a value pick, and another talented and impressive football player added to the Broncos.