The Carolina Panthers have selected Auburn defensive tackle, Derrick Brown with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The 2019 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-American was the top-rated defensive tackle in the draft and is coming off a senior season where he had 55 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and four sacks for the Tigers.
"He's a guy that allows us to go to three-down, four-down and he's even gone to a five-technique," head coach Matt Rhule said. "Big men who can move like him are versatile. We can move him all up across the front."
Listed at 6-foot-5, 326 pounds, Brown, 22, is expected to bring a strong defensive presence to the middle of a Panthers defense that is lacking star-power.
Defense just heated up ------ pic.twitter.com/v0SUuvjMZ9
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers)
April 24, 2020 “Derrick Brown is one of the most powerful, explosive players in this draft,” ESPN’s Louis Riddick said during the draft. “The NFC South better get ready. Because big No. 5 from Auburn, he’s the real deal.”
A Georgia native, Brown has been compared to former Carolina defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and also had some comparisons to Ndamukong Suh.
"When I left that meeting with him, I was touched by who he was. His spirit comes through," Rhule said. "Joe Brady (Panthers offensive coordinator) had to go up against him last year and said he was the number one guy he had to game for the entire season in the SEC."
All emotion when Derrick Brown found out he was picked by the @Panthers. @DerrickBrownAU5 #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Onadr4XL1M
— NFL (@NFL)
April 24, 2020
