RB #50

Ricky Barber

Defensive Tackle · UCF

A UCF defensive tackle who turned a six-year, two-school college journey into an NFL debut sack.

Ricky Barber is a defensive tackle who signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and made an immediate impact once he got on the field. After grinding through a lengthy college career, he used his first NFL opportunity to make his presence felt in the middle of the Commanders' defensive line.

★ Recorded a sack in his NFL debut against the Dallas Cowboys

★ 2020 UCF season: 51 tackles, 4.0 sacks, forced fumble

Path to the league

Barber began his college career at Western Kentucky before transferring to UCF to reunite with his former defensive line coach, Kenny Martin. He went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft and signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2025, one of general manager Adam Peters' first UDFA signings that offseason.

Career highlights

Barber had a breakout season at UCF in 2020, recording 51 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 27 hurries and a forced fumble along the interior defensive line. His combination of size at 6-foot-3, 293 pounds and interior pass-rush ability made him an intriguing developmental prospect for Washington's defensive front.

2025 season recap

After spending the year developing on Washington's roster, Barber was elevated for the team's Week 17 game against the Dallas Cowboys and made his NFL debut, posting five tackles and a sack. He followed that showing by signing a reserve/futures contract with the Commanders on January 5, 2026.