Mark Barron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mark Barron

Barron with the St. Louis Rams in 2014
No. 24, 23, 26
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1989-10-27) October 27, 1989 (age 35) Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:	St. Paul's Episcopal School (Mobile, Alabama)
College:	Alabama (2008–2011)
NFL Draft:	2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7
Career history
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012–2014) St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams (2014–2018) Pittsburgh Steelers (2019) Denver Broncos (2020)
Career highlights and awards
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2012) 2× BCS national champion (2009, 2011) Unanimous All-American (2011) First-team All-American (2010) Third-team All-American (2009) 3× First-team All-SEC (2009–2011)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 710 Sacks: 12.0 Forced fumbles: 5 Fumble recoveries: 4 Interceptions: 9 Pass deflections: 42
Player stats at PFR

Mark Barron (born October 27, 1989) is a former professional football player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. There, he was named an All-American twice. He also helped his team win two national championships.

Barron was first picked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played as a strong safety for them. Later, he was traded to the St. Louis Rams in 2014. With the Rams, he changed his position to linebacker. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos.

Early Life and High School Sports

Mark Barron was born in Mobile, Alabama. He went to St. Paul's Episcopal School in Mobile. He played for the St. Paul's Saints high school football team. His coach was Eddie Guth.

From 2004 to 2007, Mark played many positions. These included running back, wide receiver, and linebacker. In his junior year, he ran for 785 yards. He also caught passes for 368 yards. He scored 12 touchdowns that year. As a senior, he was the MVP of the 2007 Class 5A state championship game. He rushed for 1,094 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. He was also named a top player in Alabama.

Mark was also a talented track & field athlete. In 2008, he won several state titles. He won in events like the shot put and long jump. He threw the shot put 17.09 meters, which was his best. At the 2008 AHSAA 4A-6A Championships, he won four state titles. He won the triple jump, long jump, discus throw, and shot put. He also ran the 100 meters in 11.39 seconds.

Experts saw Mark as a top football prospect. Scout.com ranked him as the number one weakside linebacker for 2008. Rivals.com said he was the fifth best player in Alabama. Mark chose to play college football at Alabama. He had offers from many other big schools.

College Football Career

Mark Barron received a scholarship to the University of Alabama. He played for coach Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide football team. He was with them from 2008 to 2011.

Freshman Year (2008)

As a new player in 2008, Mark first played on special teams. He made his first tackle against Clemson. He also got his first college sack against Arkansas. Mark played in all 14 games for Alabama. He had 18 tackles and one sack.

Sophomore Year (2009)

In 2009, Mark became a starting safety. He was second on the team with 74 tackles. He led the Southeastern Conference with seven interceptions. He even scored a touchdown after an interception against South Carolina. He had two interceptions in a game against Mississippi State. Mark helped Alabama win the SEC Championship and the BCS National Championship. He was named a first-team All-SEC player. He was also a third-team All-American.

Junior and Senior Years (2010-2011)

In 2010, Mark was the only returning starter in the defensive backfield. He finished the season with 77 tackles. He also had three interceptions and one forced fumble. He was named an FWAA All-American.

In 2011, Mark was again a first-team All-SEC player. He was also named a unanimous first-team All-American. He helped Alabama win another BCS National Championship against LSU. In that game, he had two tackles and a sack.

College Statistics

Here are Mark Barron's college football stats:

Professional Football Career

After college, Mark Barron prepared for the NFL Draft. Experts thought he would be a first-round pick. He was seen as the best strong safety in his draft class.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012–2014)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked Mark Barron as the seventh overall player in the 2012 NFL draft. This made him the highest-drafted defensive back from Alabama ever.

Mike Mayock, a former NFL player and analyst, praised Barron:

"Boy, is this a solid pick. I love this kid because his floor and ceiling are the same thing. His ceiling is to be a Pro Bowl safety; his floor is to be a Pro Bowl safety. That's how good this young man is. This is going to be a good football team next year."
-Mike Mayock, former NFL safety and current NFL Network analyst

Rookie Season (2012)

In July 2012, the Buccaneers signed Mark to a four-year contract. He was expected to be their starting strong safety. In a preseason game, he intercepted Tom Brady and scored a touchdown.

He played his first regular season game against the Carolina Panthers. He had three tackles and two pass deflections. In another game, he made ten tackles and two deflections. He also got his first NFL interception against the Kansas City Chiefs. Mark started all 16 games in his rookie year. He finished with 89 tackles, 10 pass deflections, and one interception. He was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team.

Second and Third Seasons (2013–2014)

In 2013, Mark continued as the Buccaneers' strong safety. He had a career-high 13 tackles against the New Orleans Saints. He also got his first NFL sack on Drew Brees. He intercepted Tom Brady and Russell Wilson that season. He missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury. He finished 2013 with 88 tackles, six pass deflections, two sacks, and two interceptions.

In 2014, Mark started his third season with the Buccaneers. He played eight games before being traded. He had 49 tackles and two pass deflections with them. Overall, he had 225 tackles, 18 pass deflections, three interceptions, and two sacks in his time with the Buccaneers.

St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams (2014–2018)

Joining the Rams (2014)

On October 28, 2014, the Buccaneers traded Mark Barron to the St. Louis Rams. Mark said he felt surprised by the trade. He played his first game with the Rams on November 2, 2014. He made one tackle. In his second game, he sacked Arizona Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton. He started his first game for the Rams on November 30, 2014. He finished his nine games with the Rams with 23 tackles and three sacks.

Changing Positions (2015)

In 2015, the Rams decided not to extend his rookie contract. Mark competed for the starting strong safety spot. He later became the backup. However, he got his first start at weakside linebacker after another player got injured. He had a career-high 16 tackles in that game. The Rams coaches even credited him with 19 tackles. Mark finished 2015 with 116 tackles, one sack, and three forced fumbles. He started 12 games and played in all 16.

Success as a Linebacker (2016–2018)

On March 9, 2016, the Los Angeles Rams (who had moved from St. Louis) signed Mark to a new five-year contract. He continued as a weakside linebacker. In 2016, he had 118 tackles, two interceptions, and a sack. He intercepted Jameis Winston and Carson Palmer. He started all 16 games.

In 2017, Mark was named a starting inside linebacker. He had a season-high 15 tackles against the Seattle Seahawks. He injured his Achilles tendon later in the season. He finished with 86 tackles, four pass deflections, and three interceptions in 14 games. The Rams won their division and made the playoffs. Mark played in his first playoff game, making ten tackles.

In 2018, Mark started 12 games for the Rams. He made a safety by tackling Aaron Jones in the endzone. He finished with 60 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. The Rams had a great season, winning their division again. They made it to Super Bowl LIII. Mark had eight tackles in the Super Bowl, but the Rams lost to the New England Patriots.

On March 5, 2019, the Rams released Mark.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2019)

Barron playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Cleveland Browns

On March 17, 2019, Mark Barron signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He made his debut in Week 1, recording six tackles. In Week 4, he had 11 tackles and intercepted Andy Dalton. He also had ten tackles against his former team, the Los Angeles Rams. Mark finished the 2019 season with 82 tackles, three sacks, and one interception.

The Steelers released Mark on March 16, 2020.

Denver Broncos (2020)

On August 30, 2020, Mark signed with the Denver Broncos. He was placed on injured reserve in September due to a hamstring injury. He was activated in November but was later released by the Broncos in December 2020.

NFL Career Statistics

Here are Mark Barron's NFL career statistics: