Joseph Barksdale
Encyclopedia
Joseph Bernsen Barksdale (born January 1, 1989 in Detroit, Michigan
) is an American football
offensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders
of the National Football League
. Barksdale was regarded as one of the better offensive tackle prospects of his class.
in Detroit, Michigan
, where he was a two-way lineman for coach Thomas Wilcher
. He recorded 73 tackles (17 for losses), 14 hurries, seven quarterback sack
s, one interception and three forced fumbles as a senior, and received High School All-American honors by Parade
and USA Today
. He also participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl
as a member of the East team.
Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com
, Barksdale was listed as the No. 6 defensive tackle prospect in the nation. He chose LSU over Michigan State
, Notre Dame
and Ohio State
, becoming the first state of Michigan signee in LSU history.
Following Stewart's graduation, Barksdale took over as right tackle and started all 13 games for the Tigers. He helped anchor an offensive line that paved the way for an LSU rushing attack that ranked No. 4 in the SEC with 166.7 yards per game. Barksdale and left tackle Ciron Black
are regarded as "the best duo of tackles in SEC."
by the Oakland Raiders
.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
) is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Barksdale was regarded as one of the better offensive tackle prospects of his class.
High school career
Barksdale attended Cass Technical High SchoolCass Technical High School
The Cass Tech Technicians football team is a high school football program in Division 1 Public School League, representing the prestigious Cass Technical High School in Detroit, MI. Cass Tech High School has long been recognized nationwide for its extraordinary football program dating back to its...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, where he was a two-way lineman for coach Thomas Wilcher
Thomas Wilcher
Thomas Wilcher is a high school athletic coach who was previously a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I track and field national champion in the indoor 55 m hurdles and a three-time NCAA All-American in track and field for the University of Michigan. Wilcher was also a running...
. He recorded 73 tackles (17 for losses), 14 hurries, seven quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s, one interception and three forced fumbles as a senior, and received High School All-American honors by Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
and USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
. He also participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
as a member of the East team.
Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, Barksdale was listed as the No. 6 defensive tackle prospect in the nation. He chose LSU over Michigan State
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
and Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, becoming the first state of Michigan signee in LSU history.
College career
Barksdale graduated early from high school and enrolled at LSU in January 2007. Although recruited as a defensive tackle, he was switched to the offensive side of the ball during fall camp. As a true freshman in 2007 he played 14 games as a backup to Carnell Stewart at right tackle.Following Stewart's graduation, Barksdale took over as right tackle and started all 13 games for the Tigers. He helped anchor an offensive line that paved the way for an LSU rushing attack that ranked No. 4 in the SEC with 166.7 yards per game. Barksdale and left tackle Ciron Black
Ciron Black
-Early years:A native of Tyler, Texas, Black attended Robert E. Lee High School, where he was a teammate of Matt Flynn. As a senior, Black averaged four pancake blocks per game and was named first-team 5A all-state in Texas....
are regarded as "the best duo of tackles in SEC."
Pro career
Barksdale was selected with the 92nd pick in the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.