Redskins: Five prospects to watch at 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl
By Ian Cummings
No. 4 – San Diego State CB Luq Barcoo
There’s a general correlation between skills and stats in college football; if you have the tools to produce, the odds are better that you will. There are, of course, plentiful exceptions to this rule, and every case is different. But San Diego State’s Luq Barcoo is one case that you don’t have to overthink.
Barcoo ended the 2019 season as the NCAA’s interception leader with nine in thirteen games, and he also had 16 pass deflections to go along with it. He was an integral part of a San Diego State defense that allowed just 12.7 points per game, and he has some coverage traits to build around in the NFL.
Barcoo is undersized, standing at 6-foot-1, 176. His weight issue is prevalent on tape, as he gets moved easily in press coverage, and while he has great effort following the play across the field, he doesn’t have the strength to consistently wrap up ball carriers as a tackler. That said, Barcoo has impressive hip fluidity and closing speed, and these mobility traits allow him to make plays on the ball. His Colorado State tape does well to quantify his value: He lets some plays by due to his size and strength limitations, but he also logs three straight interceptions with impressive burst, catch point awareness, and leveraging speed.
If Barcoo, who’s just 21 years old, can add weight and strength without sapping his athleticism, he could become a viable option at the next level. The tackling and lack of run defense utility is an issue, and it will prevent him from being drafted until late, but Barcoo is a late-round prospect in the mold of Jimmy Moreland. He has the ball production, and he arguably has more upside, with his length. Barcoo is a project, much like the other cornerbacks at the Shrine Bowl, but his ball production will be more than enough to sell a team or two on his potential.
Other Cornerbacks to Watch: Dartmouth CB Isiah Swann, UCF CB Nevelle Clark, Michigan CB Lavert Hill