NFL Draft 2012: Why Patriots Must Select Alabama Safety Mark Barron

For the New England Patriots to build a Super Bowl caliber defense for next year and the future, they must improve the talent and depth of their secondary, which means drafting Alabama safety Mark Barron should be a top priority.

The Patriots were ranked 31st last season in pass defense because the level of play from their defensive backs was consistently poor throughout the year.

By selecting Barron in the first round, New England would fill a huge need at safety.

His impressive 2011 season was a major reason why the Crimson Tide won the BCS National Championship in January. Alabama had the only defense in the country that allowed less than 10 points per game.

Barron was second on Alabama with 68 tackles and tied for second with two interceptions last year. 

One thing that makes Barron such a talented defensive back is that he's very fundamentally strong. Instead of looking to make a crushing hit, he will wrap up his opponent and makes sure he finishes the play with a firm tackle.

Barron is also capable of coming up into the box and stuffing the run with his strong ball-pursuit skills and ability to read plays well.

His ability to read defenses well combined with his good speed allows him to excel in coverage against wide receivers. His good strength at 6'1" and 213 points also allows him to cover physical tight ends effectively.

With the Patriots battling injuries and having players underachieve in the secondary last season, finding some strong defensive backs in this year's draft is a must for head coach Bill Belichick.

Belichick has made some poor draft choices over the last few years when taking defensive backs, but Barron is a can't miss prospect who is one of the few safeties with first-round talent capable of starting in Week 1 next season.

Sergio Brown and James Ihedigbo are clearly not going to help the Patriots defense improve in the future. Neither players has star potential or top-tier talent. Patrick Chung has star potential at safety, but he needs to prove he can be consistently healthy first.

Drafting Barron is a no-brainer for the Patriots, but with other contending teams like the New York Jets and New York Giants also needing safety help, New England cannot afford to pass on Barron when they are on the clock in Round 1.

He's a great fit for the Patriots at safety.

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