The 2025 NFL Combine continued on Friday with cornerbacks, safeties, and tight ends showcasing their skills in front of all 32 teams. This group of prospects is especially crucial for the Miami Dolphins, who have needs at all three positions.
While safeties and tight ends are often mocked to the Dolphins at the 13th overall pick, cornerback has been less commonly linked, despite being just as pressing of a need. One name that is likely to gain more attention after Friday’s workouts is Jahdae Barron, the cornerback from the Texas Longhorns.
Barron had an impressive 2024 season, recording 10 pass breakups, five interceptions, 58 total tackles, and one sack. He was tasked with covering half of the field for one of the nation’s top defenses.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes Barron an intriguing option for the Dolphins in Round 1 and how he could complement the team’s current defensive backs.
Barron’s NFL Combine Performance
Before diving into how Barron fits with Miami, let’s break down his combine performance. The Texas standout didn’t fare well in the weigh-in, as he’s a smaller cornerback.
He measured in at 5’10” and 194 pounds, with 29⅝-inch arms and a 73½-inch wingspan. These measurements fall below the 40th percentile for cornerbacks since 1999, with his arm length being particularly concerning, ranking in the third percentile.
Barron needed to impress with his speed, and he did just that. He ran the seventh-fastest 40-yard dash time among cornerbacks at 4.39 seconds, with a solid 10-yard split of 1.50 seconds. While the 40-yard dash gets the most attention, the 10-yard split is especially important for cornerbacks because it demonstrates their ability to close in on short throws quickly.
Barron’s performance earned high praise from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah.
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Barron’s overall combine performance may not turn heads, but combined with his impressive tape from Texas, it’s easy to see why he could be a prime target for the Dolphins in the first round.
Evaluating Barron’s Tape
Barron was a consistent contributor to the Longhorns for three seasons. In 2022 and 2023, he primarily played in the slot, logging 389 and 382 snaps, respectively. However, in 2024, Barron moved to the outside, where he recorded 679 snaps on the boundary compared to just 122 in the slot.
His versatility is the standout feature on film and is key to his potential fit with the Dolphins. Barron has shown the ability to adapt to different roles within a complex defensive scheme.
Barron excels when he’s able to stay in good position on top of routes and explode downhill when routes break into his zone. His instincts and football IQ shine through, as he quickly identifies the route’s path and makes a timely play on the ball without drawing a pass interference penalty.
Despite his smaller size, Barron plays with great physicality at the catch point, frequently breaking up passes even while going to the ground with receivers. His toughness is also evident in his run defense.
According to PFF, Barron missed only seven tackles and made 19 run stops. His ability to support the run is a critical aspect of his versatility, especially given that slot cornerbacks are often closer to the line of scrimmage and must handle blockers and tackle more than their outside counterparts.
Although his size can be a limitation in man coverage against bigger receivers, Barron’s speed enables him to keep up with them downfield. If he gets displaced at the line of scrimmage, however, it could lead to giving up big plays.
How Barron Fits in Miami
Barron is an excellent scheme fit for the Dolphins. In 2024, the Longhorns ran zone coverage on 78.15% of their snaps, allowing Barron to keep his eyes on the backfield and come downhill to make plays. This mirrors what the Dolphins want to do defensively, as Miami used zone coverage, particularly Cover 3, on 29.6% of their snaps last season.
Though there will be adjustments for Barron as a rookie, his style fits well with Miami’s base defensive scheme.
Barron’s versatility is especially appealing to the Dolphins. Currently, Miami’s only cornerbacks under contract for next season are Jalen Ramsey, Storm Duck, Cam Smith, and Ethan Bonner. Kader Kohou is a restricted free agent, and Siran Neal is unrestricted.
If the Dolphins retain Kohou, selecting Barron would provide them with more flexibility, allowing Kohou to play in the role he’s most comfortable with. Kohou has moved between outside and slot cornerback during his career, but he played his best football outside last season.
With Barron, Ramsey, and Kohou as the top three cornerbacks, Miami would have three players capable of handling both outside and slot roles. Barron’s size might present challenges against larger receivers, but he could still play a valuable role, especially in matchups against dominant tight ends in the slot. In such situations, Miami could move Ramsey inside and put Barron on the outside.
Barron’s versatility has drawn comparisons to Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch, who has been effective in multiple roles for the Lions, including slot cornerback, free safety, and in-the-box coverage. While Barron likely won’t see many snaps as a free safety, he’s shown he can excel in the box. In his three years at Texas, Barron played at least 145 snaps in the box.
Barron’s speed (4.39 40-yard dash) makes him more versatile than Branch (who ran a 4.58), and this could give him more value for Miami’s defense.
Defense is all about mixing up looks to confuse opposing quarterbacks and covering all types of pass catchers. Barron’s adaptability would provide Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver with more tools to disguise coverages and match up against any kind of receiver.
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