One of the best ways to dial up a massive contract in the NFL is to build a reputation for harassing quarterbacks. After selecting Tennessee pass rusher Derek Barnett with the No. 14 pick of the NFL draft, the Eagles are hoping the former Volunteer can provide big-money production at a fraction of the cost.
Eagles make smart 1st-round pick with pass-rushing machine Derek Barnett
Barnett can be the kind of sack-creating presence the NFL values so highly.
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Barnett terrorized the SEC in his three seasons in the conference, racking up 52 tackles for loss, one off Leonard Little’s school mark, and 33 sacks, eclipsing the great Reggie White’s Volunteer record by one. His combination of speed and power along the edge made him the bane of every offensive tackle he matched up against.
What kind of talent does Barnett bring to the Eagles?
His ability to shed blocks and collapse pockets won’t just boost his own numbers — it also creates easy TFLs for his teammates. Even without Barnett’s team-high 19, Tennessee still racked up 81 tackles for loss in 2016.
His power and speed around the edge are what made him a Volunteer record setter and one of the fastest-rising prospects leading up to the 2017 draft. Barnett explodes off the line with the kind of first step that gives offensive tackles the jitters. The majority of his big plays start with him leaning into and driving past his blocker, collapsing the pocket from a quarterback’s blind side, and creating chaos behind the line of scrimmage.
Barnett is also fast enough laterally to bring down ball carriers in space, frequently using his ability to identify screen plays and disrupt blockers. That athleticism, at 6’3 and 259 pounds, brings versatility as he can drop into coverage should the occasion arise. While he was a 4-3 defensive end throughout college, with some polish he could also transition as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
Will those skills translate to the NFL?
“Not only was Barnett a consistent threat with at least 10 sacks in all three of his years in orange, he did excellent work against Tennessee’s stiffest competition. As a freshman he benefited greatly from Curt Maggitt’s presence, but he was the primary focus of opposing offensive lines the last two years and it didn’t slow him down at all.” — Read More at Rocky Top Talk
His pass-rushing abilities made him a first-round prospect, but there are still several questions he’ll have to answer as a pro. His game is predicated on his athleticism, but an average showing at the NFL Combine suggests he could struggle against a better class of offensive linemen in the pros. NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah may have said it best when it comes to Barnett’s future.
”(Barnett) does not have elite burst, that explosiveness that you’d like to have in an edge-rusher,” he said in his Move the Sticks podcast. “I was around Terrell Suggs a little bit with the Ravens, who’s another guy that didn’t test all that well. But man, he was plenty fast enough when you got on the football field. I think you see some of those same things with Barnett. I don’t think he’s quite at that Suggs level, but I think he’s definitely got a chance to be a double-digit sack guy at the next level.”
One saving grace is his performance against SEC competition. Barnett had a penchant for starting slow with Tennessee, though he typically saved his best performances for key conference matchups — and the best offensive lines the Volunteers would face. While even an Alabama lineup is a far cry from an NFL one, it’s still encouraging.
What does Barnett need to do to be successful with the Eagles?
He’ll have to refine his speed-rush technique while adding a few new wrinkles to compete with NFL offensive linemen. SB Nation’s Stephen White points out that a stronger inside move — whether that’s punching tackles back and working through the gap or developing a spin to redirect his momentum toward the pocket after his first two steps — would make him a nightmare for opposing blockers.
Right now, smart tackles can cheat knowing his most likely plan of attack is to collapse the edge. Tacking on an equally strong inside rush would take that advantage away — and strengthen his speed rush in the process.
There are several elite pass rushers in the league, and the price for that production is steep. Chandler Jones signed a five-year, $83.5 million deal to stay in Arizona this offseason. Jason Pierre-Paul re-signed with the Giants for $62 million over four years. Barnett as a rookie, by comparison, will likely command something in the vicinity of $10 million-$12 million for the first four seasons of his professional career.
That’s a bargain if his powerful speed rush holds up against NFL tackles.
Barnett was arguably Tennessee’s most productive linemen ever, and that’s including Reggie White, a Hall of Famer. Now the Eagles will hope he can be at least a fraction of that for them in the NFL.
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