Listed at 6’6 and 309 pounds, Alex Bars has the frame to be a lock-up lineman for years to come. The Nashville (Tenn.) Montgomery Bell Academy tackle is one of the most coveted players this cycle, ranking as a top 5 player in Tennessee this year, in the top 10 at his position, and among the top 100 players, period. All three numbers come directly from the 247sports composite, which aims to give a more nuanced and comprehensive sense of a player’s ratings.
Alex Bars Recruit Scouting Report
Let’s take a closer look at a top-10 tackle in the 2014 class.
Intersport
Rivals has the most favorable view on Bars, rating him as the 37th best player in the 2014 class, and among the five best tackles, while ESPN has Bars at 51st on their ESPN300 and second among Tennesseans.
Bars boasts offers from at least 24 reported schools, ranging from coast to coast. California and Florida have both offered, as have powerhouses like Florida State, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame and LSU.
Bud Elliott, SB Nation Recruiting: Bars is one of the better offensive tackle recruits in the 2014 class, but I do not believe he is quite as good as some believe. Personally, I would have him in the top-20 range of offensive tackles, rather than the top-10.
Bars has a good blend of power, speed and agility. In run blocking, Bars can fire out of his stance low and with quickness. When he has an angle, he can finish off blocks and roach the defender. I think Bars can turn into a very good starter at the BCS level, but I am not sure he will be a dominant force. In watching him during the Under Armour All-America practices recently, I was disappointed by his lateral agility and balance on some reps in pass protection. I’ll be interested to see Bars develop during his college career, and think a redshirt year might be for the best.
