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Allen Barbre
6-4 300 pounds
6-4 300 pounds
Barbre might have toiled in relative anonymity during his career with the Lions, but opposing defensive ends, defensive coordinators and professional scouts were well aware of his outstanding quickness and blocking skills. The four-year starter not only matched up and contained the opposition's best pass rusher each week, but he was also an outstanding gunner on special teams, leading the punt coverage unit in 2006.
Barbre was a standout two-way performer at tackle for the East Newtom High School Patriots, helping his team finish 9-2 and reach the sectional round of the Class 2A state playoffs as a senior. He was named to the Missouri Class 2A All-State team in football and earned All-Big Eight Conference honorable mention in basketball.
Not highly recruited out of high school, Barbre enrolled at Missouri Southern State in 2003. He did not see action in the team's first four games, but started four of the last seven contests, lining up at right tackle against Truman before shifting to left tackle against Northwest Missouri State, Southwest Baptist and Emporia State. He posted 23 knockdowns/key blocks and also recorded a solo tackle, but the offense struggled all year, managing only 255.5 yards per game.
In 2004, Barbre appeared in 10 games, starting the final nine at left tackle. He missed the season opener against Bacone College with a fall camp ankle sprain, but totaled 64 knockdown blocks for an explosive offensive unit that averaged 453.0 yards per game, including 325.0 yards passing. He was part of an offensive front that allowed 21 sacks for the year.
As a junior, Barbre earned first-team All-Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) honors. He was named Offensive Lineman of the Week five times and won the team's Dudley Stegge Award as the Lions' Offensive Lineman of the Year. Even though the front wall allowed 31 sacks, only a half-sack was credited to the left tackle. Barbre also registered 73 knockdowns to lead an attack that averaged 376.9 yards per game.
Barbre also got a rare chance at putting points on the board himself, scoring on a four-yard touchdown run for the first touchdown in MSSU's 41-17 defeat of Truman State on Oct. 1. That play came as a tribute to John Ware, a former offensive lineman and the team's then-head coach who had died suddenly just four days prior.
Barbre was a consensus All-American, All-MIAA and All-Region first-team selection in 2006. He helped lead an offensive line that saw quarterback Adam Hinspeter become just the second passer in school history to throw for 2,000 yards twice in a career. The offense amassed 3,461 yards for the season, including 2,527 passing. He finished with a career-high 94 knockdowns at left tackle and also excelled on the punt coverage unit, coming up with seven solo tackles.
For his career, Barbre started 33 of 37 games. All but one of those starting assignments came at the left tackle position. He was credited with 254 knockdown blocks and registered 10 tackles (nine solos) on special teams. He was the first player from his school to be invited to the NFL Combine, and the first player to earn first-team All-American honors since Richard Jordan in 1996.
ANALYSIS
Positives: Has a developing frame with room to add at least another 15 pounds of bulk with no loss in his impressive quickness … Has a thick upper body, with broad shoulders, thick calves, solid midsection, long arms, large hands, big bubble and natural strength … Comes out of his stance with outstanding explosion to shock a lethargic defender … Has the loose hips to change direction and plays … Generates good force behind his hand punch to deliver pop on contact … Hard worker who might need several extra reps to retain plays, but spends extra hours in the film room watching tapes and in the weight room improving his overall strength … Can get to the second level quickly to cut or wall off, but needs to break down better and play under control … When he gets his hands into an opponent, he has the raw power to pull, jerk, lock on and drag down … Rolls his hips well to put more force behind his blocks working in-line … Is quick to react to movement and does a good job of shuffling his feet to mirror … Takes the defensive lineman where he wants to go and uses that momentum to wash out his opponent (needs to stop waist bending, though) … Plays with a strong base and solid effort, showing good foot movement in his pass set … Does a better job landing when pulling or on screens, but needs to play with better control working in the second level … When he slides his feet in pass protection, he plays with a wide base, but must be more conscious of keeping his pads down (gets too high in his stance at times) … Showed much better hand placement in 2006, sustaining his blocks longer once he learned to keep his hands inside the frame … Can beat a defender off the edge with his explosive initial step … Generally takes good angles on the short pull and has the lateral mobility to work down the line … Does a nice job of communicating with his guard on double teams.
Negatives: Has good field vision, but is just a marginal student and needs more than several reps to retain plays … Fires off the ball with good urgency, but will get out of control and start taking wild whiffs when he shoots his hands outside the frame … Can simply flatten opponents when he keeps his pads down, but he will get too tall in his stance and bend at the waist (has good knee bend, but doesn't do it consistently) … When he fails to open his hips properly, he will fall off some blocks in space … Needs to get better fits on the ground game (bad pad level), for despite his upper body power, he will revert to positioning and turning the defender rather than driving through … Must play with better control in the second level, as he fails to break down plays quickly … Has the natural slide agility, but will get pushed back by a strong bull rush when he gets too tall in his stance … When he over-sets with his hands, he struggles to recover (will also cross over with his feet at the Xs).
Compares To: Joe Berger, Dallas Cowboys … Barbre is a developing talent with outstanding quickness and good strength. He has the balance and nimble feet to fire out on the pulls and traps and shows a punishing hand jolt to impede the pass rusher's forward progress. He seems to lack that split-second decision making process and will get fooled on stunts, blitzes and twists, making him more suited for guard than tackle. He could use some more bulk on his frame and must learn to play with better control. When he fails to locate the second-level defenders, he starts throwing his hands around wildly, looking for something to hit. He needs to break down open working in space and while he showed improvement with his hand placement, he is prone to getting them outside his frame too much. He must also play at a lower pad level and use his knee bend better. With some patient coaching, he could develop. It is obvious the athletic talent and quick feet are there. Now, he needs to work on the mental aspect of the game.
