Austin Barber OT Florida |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #58 SUB-POSITION: Left Tackle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/08/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.12 seconds (78%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.2 DOB: 05/20/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #58 | |
| SUB-POSITION: Left Tackle | |
| Last Updated: 03/08/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 5.12 seconds (78%*) | |
| Age: 23.2 DOB: 05/20/2003 | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
| Overall Rating: | 84.6 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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85% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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77% |
| Run Blocking: |
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93% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#101
Position rank:
#20 (OL)
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| College Games: 47 College Snaps: 2685 | ||
ESPN RATING: 76/100
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247 RATING: 90/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.6 (92%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Taliese Fuaga - Oregon State |
|
84% |
| Tyler Smith - Tulsa |
|
83% |
| Nicholas Petit-Frere - Ohio State |
|
82% |
Drafted: ROUND: 3 - Pick Number: 86 (CLE)
Draft Profile: Bio
Austin Barber played his prep ball at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida, where he helped the team capture a Class 3A state championship in 2020. He drew mid-major and SEC interest as a three-star recruit, ultimately choosing the Gators over Miami, Minnesota, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss. After a redshirt year in 2021, he earned early playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2022, starting five games at right tackle across 13 appearances and picking up Freshman All-American honors from College Football News.Barber flipped to left tackle in 2023 and started eight games, learning the blindside against SEC competition. He locked down the starting left tackle job full-time in 2024, playing all 13 games and scoring a touchdown on a tackle-eligible play against Mississippi State that earned him SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. His final season in 2025 was his best work yet, particularly as a run blocker, earning All-SEC Third Team recognition and a spot on the Outland Trophy Watch List.
Barber finished his Florida career with 47 games and over 2,700 snaps, the vast majority at left tackle. He was invited to the 2026 Senior Bowl and earned his bachelor's degree in Education Sciences along the way, making the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times across five seasons.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- The basketball background shows up in his feet. Mirrors speed rushers with loose, balanced slides.
- Quick off the snap in the run game and consistently beats defenders to the spot.
- Sneaky snatch-and-trap move that takes away leverage and reroutes rushers out of the play.
- Good luck getting off this guy once his hands land clean on your chest plate.
- Uses jump sets on play-action to crowd the rusher's path and take away the outside track.
- Gets to the second level well for a big man. Finds linebackers and seals them on combos.
- Nearly 1,500 career pass blocking snaps in the SEC and rarely got beat clean.
- 47 games and five years at Florida. He has been through the wars in that conference.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Hands land high too often. Gives rushers a clear lane to work underneath his punch.
- When a bull rush gets into his pads, the anchor gives. Gets walked back into the pocket.
- That rigid two-hand punch limits his ability to recover against counters and spin moves.
- Doesn't bend his knees enough at contact, so his pad level rises and he loses leverage.
- Struggles to move people as a solo run blocker. Often needs a double team to generate push.
Scouting Report: Summary
Barber's best football will come in a zone-heavy offense that asks him to move, reach, and climb rather than anchor down in phone-booth battles. His lateral agility, second-level targeting, and understanding of angles give him real value in outside zone and gap schemes that get him working in space. The run blocking took a noticeable jump in his final college season, and when he can work on the move, he looks like a player who belongs on an NFL roster.The question that follows him to the next level is whether he stays at tackle or moves inside to guard. His pass protection numbers held up well over a large sample, but there are reps on film where speed-to-power conversions and wide speed rushes gave him real trouble. Those problems become more frequent against NFL-caliber edge rushers. A move inside would let his grip strength, hand technique, and ability to reach the second level become primary traits rather than secondary ones, and it would shrink the space he has to cover in protection.
The ceiling here is a starting right tackle or guard in the right system. The floor is a dependable swing lineman who can fill in across multiple spots and give you solid reps while developing. That range fits a Day 2 pick with his experience level and skill set. He is the kind of prospect who will stick on a roster because of his versatility and football character, but the physical limitations in pass protection mean he needs the right scheme and coaching staff to get the most out of him.
Austin Barber percentiles vs other Offensive Tackles (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Austin Barber (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
104.6
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
24.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.