Eric Kendricks-Anthony Barr Pairing Gives Vikings Perfect LB Duo for Today's NFL

Two college roommates drafted in back-to-back years are teaming up to give the Minnesota Vikings the ideal linebacking duo for today's NFL. 

Just one year after selecting UCLA's attacking outside linebacker Anthony Barr with the ninth overall pick, the Vikings dipped back into the Bruins pool to take Eric Kendricks—the athletic, three-down inside linebacker who set tackle records at the school—with the 45th overall selection in the 2015 NFL draft. 

The two disruptive linebackers once shared a living arrangement while patrolling the same UCLA defense. Barr and Kendricks will now reconvene in Minnesota, where the pair could blossom into a revolutionary force for Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. 

The NFL is an ever-evolving entity. The professional game is currently dominated by offense, with rules in place to aid in throwing the football and schemes designed to create space and maximize stress on a defense. While passing numbers have exploded, balance remains an offensive staple. The running back position has been devalued, but running the football hasn't. These realities have created an era in which there's more required of defensive players than ever before. 

The model linebacker in the modern NFL is difficult to acquire. He is a three-down player, with the versatility to operate in a number of sub-packages and the ability to cover, attack the quarterback and stop the run. 

Both Barr and Kendricks fit the bill. Together, the two could give Zimmer the new-age tools he needs to combat the NFL's offensive onslaught. 

Barr is the kind of versatile outside linebacker every defense would love to have. 

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The 6'5", 255-pound specimen played defensive end at UCLA. Zimmer quickly turned him into a jack-of-all-trades edge player in the NFL, allowing Barr to wreak havoc as both a 4-3 outside linebacker and defensive end.

Despite his infant status as a defensive player (last season was just his third playing defense), Barr more than held his own in stopping the run, rushing the passer and dropping into coverage as a rookie. He finished 2014 with 70 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. 

	Total	4-3 OLB Rank
Snaps	793	12th
PFF Grade	+9.3	8th
Pass Rush Grade	+7.0	3rd
QB Disruptions	20	3rd
Run Grade	+3.5	15th
Stops	33	18th

The 23-year-old Barr—who is only scratching the surface of his immense potential—figures to be a centerpiece for Minnesota's defense, both in the present and in the future.

Zimmer's overhaul on his preferred side of the ball actually entered the 2015 draft possessing precious few needs. An outside cornerback prospect was one (see: No. 11 overall pick Trae Waynes), and middle linebacker was another. 

In Kendricks, Zimmer has likely found his long-term answer in the middle. 

The brother of Philadelphia Eagles star Mychal Kendricks and the 2014 Butkus Award winner, Kendricks can do all the things required of today's three-down inside linebacker. 

He's athletic, having run the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds at the combine. His tape shows the play speed of a sideline-to-sideline defender capable of getting downhill against the run, blitzing the quarterback and covering tight ends and running backs in space. 

In fact, coverage might be his finest asset. Over four years at UCLA, he defended 16 passes and intercepted five others. Arguably no linebacker in the 2015 class is better prepared to make an impact in the passing game as a rookie. 

Kendricks also left UCLA as the school's all-time leading tackler. He forced four fumbles, recovered four more and scored three defensive touchdowns. The two-time team captain was also the only FBS linebacker to tally at least 100 solo tackles in 2014. He proved to be a tackling machine capable of creating game-changing plays. 

His skill set is impressive, and also projectable to the NFL game. Kendricks' combination of rangy athleticism, attacking instincts and coverage ability have reminded many evaluators of Bobby Wagner, the Seattle Seahawks' All-Pro middle linebacker. 

"A smaller, rangy inside linebacker with the feet and agility to play outside if needed, Kendricks compares very well to the size and play style of Bobby Wagner," wrote Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, who ranked Kendricks as his No. 2 overall linebacker in the 2015 draft. 

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Dane Brugler of CBS Sports saw the same NFL comparison. 

"Too small for some schemes but Kendricks' instincts, physicality and improved awareness in coverage make him a true three-down defender with the potential to earn Pro Bowl recognition in the right defense," Brugler wrote in his draft profile. 

Zimmer's defense might just be the right one. 

All the pieces seem to be coming together in Minnesota. The Vikings are loaded along the defensive line, especially with Barr's ability to move down and rush from a three-point stance. The secondary has been completely remade, with first-round picks Waynes, Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith and veterans Captain Munnerlyn and Terrance Newman anchoring the unit. 

Linebacker was a problem area at times last season. But Minnesota could do much worse than a starting three of Barr, Kendricks and veteran Chad Greenway. 

Zimmer's presence is the icing on the cake. A noted secondary coach with defensive foundations in stopping the run first and attacking the passer with anyone and everyone from the front seven, Zimmer may finally have the right combination of talent to make the entire operation sing. 

Barr and Kendricks could be the glue. 

Barr's versatility as an attacking player gives Zimmer a multitude of pressure looks. Kendricks' potential ability to stay on the field—regardless of the package or situation—should provide a comfort level inside whether teams want to run or pass on the Vikings defense. 

As offenses continue to make life more difficult for the opposition, defenses must find ways to evolve. Zimmer remains one of the most respected defensive coaches because his schemes have proven adept at keeping up with the changes. 

He now has a pair of young linebackers capable of leading his counter-charge. 

The former college roommates at UCLA are highly effective space players with every-down ability and sub-package versatility. Both are young and in need of development, but Zimmer—a master crafter of the defensive star—should be trusted to get the most out of each player. 

If he does, the Vikings will have the ideal linebacking duo to combat the NFL's modern offense. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2