After another strong season, Texas Longhorns defensive end Barryn Sorrell is poised to hear his name called at the 2025 NFL Draft.
The New Orleans product has transformed from a consensus three-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class into a highly dependable EDGE with viable NFL talent. Sorrell’s journey has been a testament to his character, work ethic, and overall skills.
In four seasons with Texas, Sorrell notched 132 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. His success was consistent year over year with a noticeable uptick in production his final year. During that season, Texas’ first in the SEC, Sorrell tied or set career highs in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks.
Sorrell is a capable early-down defender that has a great motor, history of positional flexibility, and necessary skills to consistently make plays. Due to a lack of the necessary pass-rush skills and length to be an elite pass rusher, some NFL scouts have toyed with the idea of moving Sorrell to a stand-up position where he can still utilize his current abilities to disrupt the box.
#Texas EDGE Barryn Sorrell gets lost in this amazing EDGE class, but do not let that fool you
He has some incredible reps that are worth getting excited for if your team selects him in a couple weeks pic.twitter.com/P6zlqEAyLJ
— Hail Mary Sports (@hailmarysportss) April 11, 2025
Sorrell’s strengths are both skill-based and intangible. Sorrell routinely wins against tight ends and backs, uses his hands exceptionally well, and finds his way to the quarterback even after initially being blocked. He projects to slot in immediately as an early down run stopper initially while his pass rush technique develops. His game-to-game consistency is a huge plus in addition to his positional versatility.
During the pre-draft process, Sorrell also tested extremely well, running a 4.68 40-yard dash at 256 pounds with a 34-inch vertical and 10’1” broad jump, as well as notching 28 reps on the bench press, showcasing a combination of speed, explosiveness, and strength at the NFL Combine.
As mentioned, some of Sorrell’s pass rush techniques need improvement. His first step lacks explosiveness, consequentially hindering his speed rush. This concern is exacerbated due his shorter wingspan, an issue that showed up against some of the longer-armed tackles he faced.
NFL scouts currently project Sorrell as an instant-impact player with the potential to carve out a career as an early-down defender.
Given his history of development, the upside of Sorrell is likely higher if he can hone his pass rush. Regardless of his long-term potential, though, NFL teams will be getting a highly-motivated player with a consistent track record of success as a mid-round draft pick.
