4. Derek Barnett, EDGE, Tennessee
It’s understandable that Myles Garrett has NFL scouts dancing a jig these days. In addition to the excellent game tape he put together the past three years at Texas A&M, he put up ungodly numbers at the combine and has prototypical size to dominate at the NFL level.
But he’s not the only SEC edge player worth taking in Round 1 of the upcoming draft, and we’re not talking about Auburn’s Carl Lawson. Former Tennessee star pass rusher Derek Barnett deserves a bit more hype than he’s gotten since the college season ended.
The past three years at Tennessee, he’s improved his craft every single year and has the stats to show for it. Starting with nine sacks as a freshman, he landed 10 in 2015 and 13 in 2016. He’s also brought down 52 ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage.
A guy who knows how to get around the edge and plays with strength against the run, Barnett is going to be a valuable player for an NFL team sooner rather than later.