Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown finished his rookie season on a strong note after dealing with some penalty issues early on.
Brown still has a lot of room to grow as a player, but he’s demonstrated enough power and potential to prove he’s good enough to stick around. It should come as no big surprise that Pro Football Focus has named Brown among their 2021 second-year breakout candidates.
“Derrick Brown put together a sneakily impressive rookie resume, grading out as the second-best rookie pass rusher (72.5) — behind only Chase Young. Brown actually led all rookies in total pressures (34) through 15 games before Young passed him in Week 17. The biggest problem for him was an inability to turn those pressures into sacks, which he also struggled with in college.”
Brown only posted two sacks in 2020, but tehy can be tough to come by. However, the addition of OLB Haason Reddick should free up more opportunities for Brown, Brian Burns and Carolina’s other pass rushers.
