2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Amaré Barno

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Amaré Barno, 6-5/239 Outside Linebacker Virginia Tech

Amaré Barno Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Good length

Vision

Adept at batting passes in junior year

Experienced

Quick off the edge

Speed to close

Quality pursuit defender

Reads his keys well

Weaknesses:

Lacks strength

Gets pushed around in the ground game

Leggy defender

Has issues shedding blocks

Needs more pass-rushing moves

Gets tied up by blockers

Could have issues defending downhill runs coming straight at him

Can play too high at times

Did not play hard in 2021

Summary: In the passing-driven NFL, edge defenders who can get after the quarterback are always in demand. Teams need starters obviously, but they also need backup edge rushers who have pass-rush ability to rotate into the game to keep starters fresh for all four quarters. Barno has the size and speed to be a backup edge defender who contributes as a rotational designated pass rusher in the NFL.

Barno broke out for the Hokies in 2020 with 43 tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defended. He looked like he had a lot of upside to build off that season, but in 2021, Barno struggled, recording 35 tackles with 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one pass broken up.



As a run defender, Barno can get pushed around and struggles to maintain his gap. He is going to need to add more weight to his frame and get tougher to handle the pro game. With how offensive linemen moved Barno around in college, he will have issues with downhill runs coming straight at him. He can also get into trouble in the ground game and pass rush when he stands up too high. If Barno is able to gain more weight, that would make him a much stronger candidate for playing end in a 4-3 defense.

In the pass rush, Barno is quick off the edge and shows nice vision with instincts to adjust to the offense. He has speed to close and can run around blockers. Barno flashed more consistent and dangerous pass-rush ability in 2020, and team sources say they felt Barno was protecting himself in 2021 and not playing as hard.

Barno would fit best in the NFL as a backup 3-4 outside linebacker. He also could play end in a 4-3, but he would need time to get bigger and stronger to hold up against pro offensive tackles. Barno could be a mid-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and contribute as a backup and rotational pass rusher.



Player Comparison: Alex Highsmith. Barno reminds me of Highsmith coming out of Charlotte. Highsmith (6-4, 242) and Barno are similar in size, but Highsmith is a tougher run defender. Highsmith was a late third-round pick in 2020, and Barno could be a mid-rounder this year.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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