SI All-American Candidate Hunter Barth Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: DB Hunter Barth
Projected Position: Safety
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-2, 200 pounds
School: Queen Creek (Ariz.)
Committed to: Cal
Frame: Tall with great length and lean muscle definition. Broad shoulders, yet room to fill out in the trunk.
Athleticism: Two-sport standout with varsity experience in track and field, including above-average throwing, jumping and sprinting marks. Has a good long speed with sustainability. Quicker than fast in short spaces with noted closing speed. Above average ability to lower plane and break on the football.
Instincts: Very good play recognition and reactionary quickness relative to responsibility. Plays with a wide base and converts speed to power for some pop on contact. Has an extremely high motor that is evident in pursuit angles and active style in the box.
Polish: Limited 2019 sample displays some of the best underneath coverage instincts among bigger prospects in the class. Understands leverage, eliminating holes in the zone with strong transition and lateral ability. Length and ball skills combine well versus the pass. Aggressive and explosive enough to occupy run fits with added weight.
Bottom Line: Barth, who played in just a handful of games in 2019, is a downhill safety hybrid with nickel linebacker upside at the next level. He appears to display high football IQ along with great short-area quickness to project as a robber or additional underneath defender on all three downs. Could potentially bulk up and occupy off-ball linebacker role more permanently, but it may delay his path to the starting lineup.