Derrick Brown

Meet the New Guys: 2020 Draft Class

College Prospect Visits, NFL Draft, Prime Cuts with Norris


Well, this was an exciting draft, wasn’t it? After using free agency to fix the offense, Carolina came into the draft with a plan to fix the defense. Matt Rhule and Marty Hurney had a solid plan and executed it to perfection. On paper, they fixed the run defense, pass rush and began fixing the secondary. They’ll probably have to sign a corner or two in free agency, but there are a few from which to choose. Without further adieu, here are your 2020 Carolina Panthers’ draft picks:

2019 STAT LINE: 54 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, 4 sacks, 4 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered

Derrick Brown fills several needs for the Panthers, as he will help stop the run and rush the passer. Brown is the most disruptive tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft and absolutely worth the number seven pick. He has an unreal motor and is quick for a player of his size. Brown is powerful and knows how to knock a lineman off of his feet. His feet never stop churning and he is relentless when getting past blockers. He has a bevy of rush moves at his disposal and knows when to use them. Brown will wreak havoc and disrupt the flow of the opponent’s offense.

Brown is an extremely explosive player. His first step is unreal. Carolina should have no problem against the run anymore, as Brown has the ability to swallow up running backs in the middle. There really is no weakness to Brown’s game, as he is the most balanced defensive tackle to come out of college in the last few years. Brown was a top three player in the draft and the Panthers lucked out with him being there.

Brown is not only a great player on the field, but he’s also a great person off the field. He was a leader in college and was a man among boys. Brown had the opportunity to be a first round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, but opted to return to Auburn for his senior season. He’s going to anchor this defense for years to come and Rhule has to be happy about this pick. Check out this outstanding breakdown on Derrick Brown here.

A Look Ahead: NFL Draft First Round

NFL Draft, Prime Cuts with Norris


The NFL draft is less than a week away, and the Carolina Panthers should have a lot of options at pick seven. With the team concentrating on offense in free agency, they will likely look at mostly defense in the draft. They will look at every option available, but there’s no doubt that Carolina has big holes at certain positions on the defensive side of the ball.

There are a lot of ways Carolina could go, and every possible avenue will be exhausted. They could trade back, trade up, or stand pat, and there’s really no wrong strategy. Obviously trading up from seven would cost too much, but everything is on the table. There are a lot of positions from which to choose, and a lot of talent at Carolina’s positions of need.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

In 2019, Carolina had the fourth worst run defense in the NFL, as teams averaged 143.5 yards rushing against them. There were missed tackles, players in the wrong places, injuries and lack of gap discipline which caused the issues against the run. The Panthers could use a dominant defensive tackle to help against the run, and there are a few in the 2020 draft that could help.

DERRICK BROWN

Brown is the best defensive tackle prospect in the draft. He’s great against the run and as a pass rusher. Brown is quick off the line, especially for a guy his size. He has a bevy of pass rush moves and is rarely contained at the line. He’s a hard worker and a good teammate. Brown exemplifies the type of player that Coach Rhule is looking for. If Brown is there at seven, expect the team to look hard at drafting him.

JAVON KINLAW

Kinlaw is close behind Brown as a defensive tackle prospect. He’s a rocket off the line and has a lot of pass rush moves. He isn’t as mentally sound as Brown, but that can be coached. Some argue that Kinlaw’s upside is higher than Brown. Either way, they can’t go wrong with either player. Carolina could look at trading back a few spots to accumulate more picks, as well as drafting Kinlaw.