2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Michael Barrett, LB, Michigan

Michael Barrett is a great athlete on Michigan's defense who has a great nose for the ball. Hula Bowl scout PJ Hardaway breaks down Barrett as an NFL Prospect in his report. — Michael Barrett is a great athlete on Michigan’s defense who has a great nose for the ball. Hula Bowl scout PJ Hardaway breaks down Barrett as an NFL Prospect in his report.

Player Data

Name, Jersey #	Michael Barrett # 23
School (Code)	University of Michigan (MIUN)
DOB, Class Yr	12/21/1999, 6^th year (Graduate Student)
Height, Weight	6000, 239e
40 Yd Dash	4.50e
Arms, Hands	32 3/8e, 8 3/8e
Position/Depth	LB/Starter
Honors/Captainship	All-Big Ten selection (third team, coaches, honorable mention, media, 2022) Team’s Most Improved Player on Defense (2022)
Season Viewed (yr)	2022
Games Watched	Purdue, Iowa, Nebraska
Scout Name / Date	Paul “PJ” Hardaway, 9/17/2023

Per Year Stats (Most Recent First)

2023	4 GP/ 10 Solo, 7 Asst, 17 Tot, 0 TFL-Yds, 0 Sacks-Yds, 0 Int, 0 PD, 0 FF. 1 FR, 0 BLK
2022	14 GP/ 37 Solo, 35 Asst, 72 Tot, 5-39 TFL-Yds, 3.5-36 Sacks-Yds, 0 Int, 1 PD, 0 FF. 0 FR, 0 BLK
2021	14 GP/ 10 Solo, 10 Asst, 20 Tot, 2-6 TFL-Yds, 1-4 Sacks-Yds, 2 Int, 3 PD, 0 FF. 0 FR, 0 BLK
2020	6 GP/ 25 Solo, 19 Asst, 44 Tot, 2-9 TFL-Yds, 1-5 Sacks-Yds, 0 Int, 0 PD, 1 FF. 0 FR, 0 BLK
2019	13 GP/ 5 Solo, 2 Asst, 7 Tot,
2018	2 GP (Redshirt)

Player Summary:

5-year letterman, 3-year starter who has played in 57 career games and has 28 starts under his belt. Recruited out of Lowndes HS in Valdosta, GA where he set multiple school records as a QB. Transitioned to a full-time role on defense in 2020 after spending his first couple seasons as a special teams contributor. Possesses an athletically thick build of a body. Exhibits an aggressive play style when engaging OL at the LOS off the edge or interior, getting square and maintaining good pad level with proper hand placement. Showcases good ability getting depth and covering runners in space. Closes space fast, attacks gaps to assist in constricting running lanes. Displays good ability hustling from mid-point of defense avoiding traffic to pursue and run down the runner to the sideline with ease. Shows solid hip movement from start to finish with solid COD and awareness to pinpoint and eliminate cut back lanes. Has good play recognition, gets himself and teammates into position verbally during pre-snap on blitzes and communicates well post snap when dropping and gaining depth in coverage. Does encounter athletic blocking tight ends and fails to shed block and finish tackles at POA. Over aggressive at times when in run support, makes wrong gap reads at times and loses sight of runner due to getting lost in traffic. Does not do well vs agile RBs in open space, pad level is high and late coming to balance when it’s time to sink hips in order to keep in front of runner. Not much of an impact vs pulling guards at point of attack at the second level, gets washed out the play when coming down hill.

Scheme Fit:

4-3 or 4-2-5 defense dropping into coverage as a hybrid linebacker coming down in the box and covering TEs in the slot and RBs leaking out from the backfield.

Power Statement:

An athletically versatile linebacker that can put stress on the LOS off the edge and drop back into coverage with ease, coupled with solid man coverage vs TEs and RBs.