FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2007

Allen Barbre becomes highest-ever drafted football player in Southern history going in the fourth round to Green Bay

Press Conference Video From Packer's Offensive Line Coach, James Campen
Conference Call Audio From Allen Barbre With Green Bay Media

Joplin, Mo. -- Missouri Southern senior All-American offensive lineman Allen Barbre will see his dreams of playing in the National Football League come true as the Green Bay Packers have selected the Granby, Mo. native with the 20th pick in the fourth round (119 overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft.

Barbre is the highest-ever drafted player to come out of Southern. He joins Richard Jordan (1997) and Jim Hoots (1971) both of whom went in the seventh round, as the only players to be drafted from the school. Barbre will join current NFL and Southern alums Rod Smith (Denver Broncos) and James Thrash (Washington Redskins) as three former Lions in the NFL. He is the fifth-highest drafted player in MIAA history and the second-highest offensive lineman ever selected from the league.

Barbre was a consensus All-American, All-MIAA and All-Region first-team selection in 2006. He helped lead an offensive line that saw quarterback Adam Hinspeter become just the second passer in school history to throw for 2,000 yards twice in a career. The offense amassed 3,461 yards for the season, including 2,527 passing. He finished with a career-high 94 knockdowns at left tackle and also excelled on the punt coverage unit, coming up with seven solo tackles.

For his career, Barbre started 33 of 37 contests. All but one of those starting assignments came at the demanding left tackle position. He was credited with 254 knockdown blocks and registered ten tackles (9 solos) on special teams. He was the first player from Southern to be invited to the NFL Combine.

Barbre was Southern's first All-American since Josh Chapman in 2002, and was the first to be named First-Team since Richard Jordan in 1996. He was the fifth offensive lineman at Southern to be named First-Team All-American joining the likes of Terron Jackson (1972), Willie Williams (1976), Joel Tupper (1982) and Yancy McNight (1995). He was the ninth Lion overall to be named First-Team All-American.

Packers offensive line coach James Campen said the team had its eyes on Barbre from day one.

"He is a terrific athlete," Campen said. "He's a very explosive young man. One game we scouted, and we looked at all of them, he had a legitimate 16 knockdowns. You hear the term pancake a lot but he had 16 serious de-cleaters in one game.

"We think he's further along than you would expect a small school player to be. He's been very well coached at Missouri Southern and he's got excellent pass blocking skills already. He finishes every play and is a very coachable kid. He's very head strong and had an excellent interview at the combine."

Campen said Barbre could play at either guard or tackle in the next level.

"He gives us a tremendous amount of flexibility at all of the positions on both sides of the o-line. The biggest thing we saw in him was that he was a finisher. He runs down the field well and finishes each and every play."

Barbre said it's always an honor to be selected in the draft and it's going to be nice for him to get a chance to play in the same league with Rod Smith and James Thrash.

"It's really nice to know that some others from Southern can and have made it in the NFL," Barbre said. "The opportunity to make it in the league from a Division II school is really slim, so it's great to get the opportunity and I'm ready to take this chance and run with it.

"I knew I had a chance to get a shot at the next level coming into the season. I dedicated myself and worked hard on the field and in the weight room and it's unfolded for me pretty nice."

Barbre said the opportunity to prove himself at the combine was one he couldn't pass up. He knew he had the numbers to succeed at the next level and it was nice to be able to show off his athleticism and speed.