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There is a lot of people speculating that the Jets are going to grab Alabama safety Mark Barron with the 16th pick of the first round. Let’s hear from the Mobile-native.
Q)What were your measurements at the combine?
Barron: 6-0, 213.
Q)How is rehab going coming off recent double hernia surgery?
Barron: I feel good. I just haven’t been cleared to do certain things. That’s where I’m at right now.
Q)When did you suffer the injury?
Barron: It was on and off for about two years. It came around and stayed around this year, so I just played
with it the whole season. I got it fixed right after (the season).
Q)When do you think you will be able to workout for scouts?
Barron: I don’t have an exact time for when I’ll be 100 percent, but I plan on working out late March.
Q)Do you think the hernia surgery is going to cost you money in the draft by making you slip?
Barron: Not much at all. From what I’ve heard, it’s not going to really affect anything as far as where I get drafted.
Q)How much will it help you making the transition to the NFL after playing in an NFL-style defense in college under Nick Saban?
Barron: We played in a very difficult defense, We did a lot of different schemes. As far as communicating,
I had a lot to do with that on the back end. I did a lot of different things.
Q)So that should help him in the NFL . . .
Barron: Most definitely. That’s something I knew when I first went to Bama is we had a complex defense and an NFL-type scheme. Going into it, I knew it was going to prepare me for the next level. Actually, that was one
of the reasons why I wanted to go to Alabama. I feel like that has prepared me for the next level.
Q)How tough was that defense to comprehend as a freshman?
Barron: In my opinion, nobody can learn that defense in under a year. I learned it kind of fast but I was learning three positions at one time. I was learning it, but at the same time, I was getting some things mixed up. I would be at one position thinking about my responsibility at another position. That’s what made it more difficult for me, but I really don’t believe a person can learn that defense in under a year.
Q)Which spot did you play?
Barron: Strong safety as junior and free as senior.
Q)How tough will it be for you to adjust to the NFL tough rules about hitting compared to college?
Barron: Honestly, I don’t like them because the way I’ve been taught to play the game, I hit hard. I guess I’ll have to make some adjustments. Hopefully, I’ll be able to make them. I’m not sure if I will because that’s the
way I was taught to play the game. I guess we’ll see what happens.
Q)Why do so few safeties go in the first round?
Barron: I feel like it’s very hard for us safeties to get in the first round, so I think that shows you that the position of safety is being undervalued.
Q)You won the state championships in four different events in track, including the shot put. Aren’t you kind of small for that?
Barron: I’ve always been able to do a lot of different things. I’m usually good with whatever I put my mind to. In the shot put, there’s a lot of big guys and I was always the smallest one and I used to go out there and beat all of them. That was kind of funny.
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