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Auburn RB Peyton Barber declares for 2016 NFL Draft

By Caleb Luketic

Sep 12, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Peyton Barber (25) celebrates his game-winning touchdown during overtime against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Jordan Hare Stadium. Auburn won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Peyton Barber (25) celebrates his game-winning touchdown during overtime against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Jordan Hare Stadium. Auburn won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports /
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Auburn running back Peyton Barber declares for the 2016 NFL Draft, after finishing 61st in rushing yards in 2015.

The Auburn Tigers’ leading rusher Peyton Barber has announced he will enter the 2016 NFL Draft. Barber announced via Instagram that he will forego his final year of eligibility at Auburn to test the waters in the NFL.

Auburn finished 7-6 in 2015, but they went just 2-6 in SEC play. The Tigers had a dynamic running attack when they found themselves competing in the 2014 BCS National Championship game, but they have dropped off in the two seasons since. Barber was a part of the team that made it to the National Championship Game, but he was only a redshirt freshman. In 2014, he was the backup to Cameron Artis-Payne, who rushed for over 1,600 yards.

Barber got his shot as Auburn’s starting running back in 2015, rushing for 1,016 yards on 237 carries. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry, while finding the end zone 13 times. Barber only caught 11 passes all season long for 112 yards, which is something he will be asked to do at the next level. Barber finished 2015 as the 61st ranked rusher in the country, which is not exactly the season a player would like to have before heading into the NFL Draft.

Barber is only 5-11 and weighs in at 225 pounds. He is not a big, bruising back, but he is a quick, elusive player, which is the type of running back you see more and more in today’s pass-oriented NFL. The Auburn product is not one of the top running backs in this year’s draft, which makes some people question why he  decided to come out a year early instead of staying to work on his craft for another season. He might be nothing better than a fifth-round draft pick, at best, after he finished 61st in rushing yards this past season.

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