[planetdoc]

Todd McShay: UCLA's Anthony Barr a 'one-trick pony' who is a big-time gamble

"I don't want to give the impression I don't like him. I just don't think he's as good as where he's projected to go," McShay said Wednesday during a teleconference with reporters. "I've talked to people recently who said, 'No, he's a top 10 pick.'

"That's a reach. And I think you're taking a big gamble."

Why the fall?

McShay said it has a lot to do with the tape. He watched Barr after the 2012 season and projected him to become one of the top prospects in this draft.

Some of McShay's early mocks, which kept Barr in the top 15, hinged on that tape on those projections. But once he finally watched the 2013 tape, he realized Barr had not developed as he anticipated.

"I thought I was going to see a different player than I actually saw," McShay said. "He wasn't bad -- I don't want to give the wrong impression -- but his takeoff skills have to improve.

"He's not very strong at the point of attack. He does not do a good job of setting the edge. He is close to a one-trick pony as a pass-rusher, in terms of just the speed rush. His speed-to-power moves stall -- they almost always stall out."

The best NFL pass-rushers can beat offensive linemen with speed and power. But Barr struggles to convert his speed into power, which could complicate his transition

McShay cautioned that selecting Barr high in the first round carries the risk of a bust. He even invoked the name of Vernon Gholston, a pass-rusher who flopped out of the league after going sixth overall to the Jets in 2008.

"With these pass rushers, we've seen guys go too early, and I would classify him as a risk," McShay said. "I'm not saying he's Gholston -- I don't think Gholston had a love for the game and there was a passion that was missing and some instincts that were missing -- but there have been some other pass-rushers that haven't worked out.

"That potentially is there if Barr doesn't develop better hand-usage and better power and become more physical and aggressive and continue to improve his instincts."