Though many thought that former Auburn running back Peyton Barber declared for the upcoming NFL Draft a bit too soon, particularly with two years of eligibility remaining, he made his decision with good reason. Speaking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Barber said that he made the decision to turn pro because his mother is currently homeless and he wanted to help her as soon as possible.
Multiple sources reported Barber’s comments, namely Chase Goodbread of NFL.com.
Auburn RB Peyton Barber reveals "my mother is homeless right now" in answering why he came out for draft.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) February 24, 2016
#Auburn RB Peyton Barber says he came out early to help his mom-Says she's homeless right now, living w/ his sister pic.twitter.com/aNjoiXHGfS
— RosterWatch (@RosterWatch) February 24, 2016
A former four-star recruit from the Atlanta area, Barber rushed for 1,016 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Tigers in 2015. He has decent size for his position at 5-foot-11, 225 pounds, but it’s all going to come down to how well he performs at workouts on Friday.
But Barber is turning pro for a good cause and even if he winds up being a late-round pick, he’ll still be in a position to help his mother bounce back. Here’s hoping that he impresses this week and ups his stock, because he’s now someone that you can’t help but want to do well.
Stay tuned to Campus Sports for further updates from Barber’s path to the NFL!
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
