It is officially that time after the combine where the rumors start flying and players stock’s start to fall. The buzz following the biggest draft event will take us all the way to the draft as teams overthink individual players.
One of those players who is seeing his stock fall because of lousy testing is Derrick Brown from Auburn. Derrick Brown was a for sure first-round pick before the combine, but now certain mocks have him falling out of the top ten. The rumors are opening a chance for the Raiders to pick him at 12.
Brown is considered the best defensive tackle in this draft by many pundits. He is a three-year starter playing for the Tigers and dominated the SEC with his ferocious plays bullying offensive lineman.
Brown mainly played the 3 technique for the Auburn lining up in the b gap for 56 percent of his snaps while displaying versatility on the line. He was able to rack up a pass rush win rate of 13% according to PFF.com and a run stop rate of 9.7 percent all way above average.
Brown has the resume of a top-five pick in the draft, but does have the tape to match? I did a deep dive into his game to see what all the ruckus is about.
Pro: Use of Hands
The use of hands is one of the most essential traits that you can have at defensive tackle. The hand fight is key to winning when engaged at the NFL level. Brown has this trait in the bag and might have the best hands in the whole class when it comes, defensive lineman.
Brown hands are violent and quick. He always has them in the perfect spot, and this allows him to gain leverage early on against guards and centers. His power is tremendous, and he can bully offensive guards, pushing them into the backfield for him to quickly shed. This vital technique helps him push the pocket as well as forcing Quarterbacks to move off their spot.
Brown is truly a bully on the football field, and his excellent use of hands is one of the reasons why. A player with a superior hand technique is one of the most natural abilities to translate. He is pro-ready from this aspect and will give offensive lineman fits starting day one in the NFL.
Pro: Upfield Burst
While Brown only ran a 5.1 40-yard dash at the combine, his ten yards split was still at 1.73, which is more important. Brown has excellent upfield burst at the beginning of the snap, which helps win consistently win against offensive lineman.
When you watch Brown on film, you can see at the snap how he beats all offensive lineman off the ball and even his teammates. He does an excellent job of keying the ball before the snap to help him get an early jump on the play and helps him be consistently disruptive. When you are beating offensive lineman off the ball, it’s a long day for the offensive football team.
Burst for Brown is his specialty, and it is what helps him stand out against a good group of defensive tackles. You want a player with this type of get off helping your team out in the trenches and wreaking havoc in the backfield.
Pro: Against the Run
One of the main priorities of an interior defensive lineman is stopping the run and disrupting the run game at all costs. Brown checks this box with every snap he takes against the run using the traits I described above to help him make tackles for loss in the backfield over and over.
According to PFF.com, Derrick Brown recorded over 75 defensive stops during his three years starting for Auburn. Defensive stops are when a player makes a tackle on gains less than two yards. That stat truly displays Brown’s dominance in the run game and makes him an automatic run stuffer at the next level.
Stopping the running game isn’t as big of a sell as it was 20 years ago, but it still a trait that you need from an interior defensive tackle. You don’t want Brown getting pushed around and be a liability on running downs. Brown will never have this issue as a dominant run defender.
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Con: Pass Rush
While stopping the run is still a factor in today’s NFL, rushing the passer is what makes an interior defender special. Brown is not bad in this area and has the potential to get better here; it still is one of the reasons teams might not have him in the top ten.
Brown doesn’t have that much of a pass rush plan and depends on the bull rush because of his top-notch play strength. In the NFL, though, guards are not as easy to just lift off the ground and push them back into the quarterback. You are going to need more moves to get past the top guards in the league or even just offensive lineman who are stable.
Brown has an upside in this area, but it still an area of concern. Will he ever be a 10-sack player at the defensive line position? It is a provocative question that won’t be answered until we see him on the field.
Con: Athleticism
For the NFL being a great athlete is just as important as your technique. We don’t see too many players who are not great athletes to become superstars in the NFL. Brown’s athletic ability is very worrisome and might be the main reason the Raiders even have a chance at the star defensive tackle.
Brown combine was awful from a workout standpoint. While he was explosive in all his drills, his 3-cone was one of the worst we have seen for a defensive tackle at 8.22. This number comes back to his ability to convert to a dynamic pass rusher when he joins an NFL team. You need athleticism to add different pass rush moves to your repertoire to become a real star at the next level.
Could this trait be overrated for his position? For sure, but it is still a huge red flag when it comes to thoroughly evaluate Brown’s prospects as a future starter in the league.
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Fit with the Raiders
Brown will be a great fit with the Raiders organization because of his motor and technique has him ready to play on running downs early. He can complement pass-rushing defensive tackle Maurice Hurst while he learns to develop his pass rush skills, but create an impact on day one.
If Brown falls to No. 12, I just don’t see Mayock passing on such a safe pick just because of athleticism concerns. Clelin Ferrell came into the draft with the same issues of people questioning his athletic ability, and the Raiders still decided to take him very early at four. I expect the same with Brown if he falls, and the Raiders will attempt to develop his pass-rush ability.
