Joe Barna LB Illinois |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #43 PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.79 seconds (28%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #43 | |
| PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | |
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.79 seconds (28%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
70.4 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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77% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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49% |
| Pass Rush: |
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58% |
| Run Defense: |
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73% |
| Coverage: |
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57% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#665
Position rank:
#56 (LB)
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| College Games: 31 College Snaps: 812 | ||
ESPN RATING: 76/100
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247 RATING: 86/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.5 (90%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Demon Clowney - South Carolina |
|
77% |
| Jackie Marshall - Baylor |
|
75% |
| Dimitri Moore - Texas Tech |
|
68% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Joe Barna won state titles at Wheaton North High School in Illinois in 2021 and 2022 and was the DuKane Conference defensive lineman of the year in 2023, when he also earned Class 7A all-state honors. Rated three stars, he held offers from Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Purdue and Wisconsin.Barna got to the quarterback for a sack in his first college game, against Eastern Illinois in 2024, and made five tackles against Penn State, playing in nine games. He appeared in 13 games in 2025, made his first start against USC on 27 September and finished with 20 tackles and a forced fumble. His strip sack in the Music City Bowl against Tennessee set up an Illinois touchdown.
Barna moved from outside linebacker to a hand-down defensive end spot in 2026. He has a sack against Southern Illinois and caused a fumble when Illinois won 38-37 in overtime at Michigan State, where he also had two pressures. He said the change made him a hand-in-the-dirt kind of defensive lineman.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Stripped the ball loose in a 38-37 overtime win at Michigan State
- Strip sack in the Music City Bowl set up a touchdown against Tennessee
- Heavy, powerful player who has 10 run stops this season
- Has played outside linebacker and on the interior of the line
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Below-average speed that limits his value as an edge rusher
- Only one sack this season, against Southern Illinois
- Five missed tackles, including a pair at Ohio State
- Still learning his new position after moving inside this year
- Oregon held him to one tackle and one hit in October
Scouting Report: Summary
Barna is a big, physical lineman who has moved from outside linebacker to the defensive line this season. He plays with power, anchors against the run and makes timely plays, as his strip sack against Tennessee and forced fumble at Michigan State showed.However, he lacks the burst to threaten tackles off the edge, and he has only one sack this year. He is still learning his new spot, and five of his tackle attempts have been misses, two of them at Ohio State.
Overall, Barna is a strong, versatile front-seven player without a clear position. He projects as a priority free agent and could return for another season at Illinois.
How other scouting services rate Joe Barna (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
380.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
47.0
*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.