Gary Kubiak: Shaquil Barrett our defensive player of the game

Shaquil Barrett is a beast.

The second-year stud out of Colorado State University was rated the No. 12 best outside linebacker through five games by Pro Football Focus, and with the fantastic first start of his career behind him now, that rating will likely go up.

In yesterday’s narrow 26-23 overtime win by Barrett’s Denver Broncos over the Cleveland Browns, the linebacker was live, recording nine total tackles, 1.5 TFL and a forced fumble on Josh McCown.

“That’d be easy for me to say right now,” Kubiak said of if he saw Barrett’s potential when the head coach talked to the media Monday. “I think everybody knew they had a guy that was a surprise, who had done a lot of good things and that they thought could be a good player. Then when we got into the minicamp and stuff, he just kept showing up.

“It’s fun to watch stuff like that. It’s fun to watch those guys become pros and just gain confidence,” Kubiak continued. “This guy gets his hands on the ball—not only the turnover that he knocks loose, but he had another one. He tipped the quarterback’s hand and had a chance for an interception there. As coaches, and I know other players, too, watching their buddies become players like he has—he’s our defensive player of the game this week—it’s fun for everybody to see.”

Barrett got his chance to start this week following DeMarcus Ware‘s back injury in the Broncos Week 5 win over the Oakland Raiders. On the year, Barrett has racked up 22 tackles with 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles, with most of his time coming in relief of Ware.

Incredibly, scouts missed on Barrett coming out of CSU. He went undrafted in 2014 and spent the year on the Broncos practice squad where he waited, prepared and learned. Specifically, he learned from Ware and Von Miller, as he told BSN Denver in an exclusive interview in training camp. Now, he’s starting in front of first-round pick Shane Ray due to Ware’s “long arm technique” and Miller’s explosive get-off.

“I hope we don’t know,” Kubiak said of Barrett’s ceiling. “I hope he just keeps coming. He’s going to get a great opportunity here.”

Kubiak also said Ware will be the starter again when he’s healthy. It makes sense due to Ware’s experience and production of 131.5 sacks and 34 forced fumbles in his career.

But, Barrett can’t stay off the field for long. He’s a playmaker and Denver’s defense benefits from having multiple pass-rushers and the fresh legs he brings off the bench.

The Broncos 26 sacks are most in the NFL for the league’s best defense. Without a doubt, Barrett has been a big part of their success.

On top of it all, Barrett’s a nice young man. At only 22 years old, he’s friendly, coachable and humble. He’s one of the good ones, a player anyone can get behind. Shaquil Barrett is a player Broncos fans will love for years to come.

Watch his entire performance in highlight version on denverbroncos.com.