There isn’t a more explosive, powerful, and hard-charging interior OL in Kentucky high school football playing the game today than Dratavyn Barber. We see him moving over to the defensive side of the line of scrimmage at the next level.
Fletcher W. Long, Senior Scout and Editorial Board Member, KPGFootball
Dratavyn Barber is among the very best interior offensive linemen the high school game has playing 4A football on the western end. Outside of the people, coaches, and opposing players who regularly play the Raiders, we aren’t sure how many people know this.
That is one reason, among many, for this particular publication. We are here to get the word out about kids like Barber.
Barber is 5-11 and weighs 265-pounds. He primarily plays OG at Warren East. Barber gets a limited number of snaps along the defensive front.
Scouts looking at him will tell you he is 3-4 inches short of where they want an OG at D-1 college programs, particularly in the FBS. We have seen kids his exact size play at a very high level in FCS, Division-1. We have seen players his size play the offensive interior at the FBS level too.
A few years ago, Boyle County had a 5-11, 260 pound NG named Wilson Kelly. Kelly was signed by MTSU, moved to offensive center, found the lineup as a freshman and has remained a stalwart along the Blue Raider front.
EKU signed Jarrett Mathews out of Nashville, Tennessee with similar dimensions as both Barber and Kelly. Mathews is a very fine player for the Colonels and starts, right now, at the center post along the offensive front.
Barber played in 11-games at guard for the Raiders. The Raiders ran for close to 2,100 yards and scored 27-rushing TDs running behind him. They threw for another 1,000 (or so) with 8-passing TDs.
We have seen Barber’s junior highlights. We recommend your watching them.
Barber is explosive with plenty of leg kick and drive. Barber maintains excellent pad leverage and looks to have plenty of sink and bend.
Barber locks on defenders. Barber plays in the defensive second and sometimes third level as opposed to retreating into the offensive backfield.
Barber is a devastating finisher, looking as though he might break some backs as he body-slams defenders into the blue turf. Basically, were he taller and/or longer, this would be an entirely different article.
Barber reminds us of a former high school star we covered a couple years ago. William Long, Class of ’21, was a three-time Associated Press (AP), first team all-stater who made first team all-state his senior year as BOTH a DL and an OL. These two players share many similar characteristics besides jersey number.
Centre College has made Long a DL, and switched him to No. 50 for the coming year. He is enjoying a wonderful career in Danville and entering his sophomore season is right in the mix at both NG and DT. We see a similar deployment in Barber’s future when he gets to the next level.
For now, Barber will go on making turf-deposits for his Raiders form Warren East. For now, he will primarily play interior OL.
Just don’t be shocked if that isn’t where the college team which will sign him decides to utilize his talents. Don’t be surprised when there is a college team itching to sign him.
This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!
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