Barry Cofield DT 6'4 304 Northwestern
By: Robert Davis

Cofield received plenty of action as a freshman, and produced quite a bit for a reserve lineman. He finished the year with 36 tackles, two of them behind the line of scrimmage. He moved into the starting lineup in 2003, but had similar numbers, with 46/2/1 for the season. As a junior, Cofield had 52 tackles, five for loss, and 3.5 sacks. He finished his career with Northwestern, with a career high 63 tackles, 6.5 for loss, two sacks, and an interception.

Barry Cofield, is a tough, versatile, experience defensive tackle. He is a very good athlete for his size, and shows impressive agility and speed. He shows the ability to change direction, and close on the ball. Cofield also has the strength to hold his ground at the point of attack, shed the block, and make the tackle. With the amount of teams playing in a 3-4 scheme, Cofield is the ideal defensive end.

Despite the athleticism, Cofield is not a playmaker, which may keep him suited for a 3-4 defense. He does not get to the quarterback or bring down the ball carrier in the backfield enough to create big plays.

With his ability to consistently hold his ground, and his lack of big time playmaking skills, Cofield has the look of the ideal end in a 3-4 defense. For teams in a 4-3, he may not bring enough penetration or playmaking ability. He carries a mid round grade, but could be taken much earlier if a team needs a 3-4 end.