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Every year some prospects end up hearing more and more criticism in leading up to the draft and suddenly, by nature of social media, everyone is parroting the same thing one person may have said weeks or months ago about said player. One such example in 2020 could be Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who in February I seem to remember was seen as a top-five level prospect. How rare would that be?
In the last decade, only Quinnen Williams, Marcell Dareus, Ndamukong Suh, and Gerald McCoy have gone in the top five of the NFL draft as defensive tackles.
But as next Thursday’s first round draws closer, Brown has appeared to potentially fall out of the top five and may not even be the first DT off the board as South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw is being discussed as the superior pass rusher with the higher ceiling. Brown is instead thought of to be the “more polished” of the two and leaning way heavier on being a run-stopper than he is a pass rusher, with the latter being more valuable in today’s NFL. So if a defensive tackle could be projected in the top five but isn’t viewed as the next Aaron Donald, does he become “overrated”?
That’s been the case for many armchair fans on Twitter who’ve taken to social media to voice their concerns for some reason. And Derrick Brown doesn’t seem to be afraid to read them either. In fact, I noticed that he’s liked quite a few tweets that don’t have nice things to say about Derrick Brown.
These tweets were liked by Brown:
Derrick Brown is the most Overrated DT prospect in recent memory.
— TWTSBB264 (@twtsbb264) April 14, 2020
Brown cannot rush the passer at the NFL level. He does not have the traits.
For reference - Dexter Lawrence last year was a better prospect than Brown. Dexter went 17th overall and some called it a "reach"
Perennial star - Chase Young
— . (@SpamDarnold) April 13, 2020
Consistently good starter - Joe Burrow
OK starter - AJ Terrell
Low-level starter/backup - Deandre Swift
Complete bust - Derrick Brown https://t.co/IU9lAe4N22
Overrated: Derrick Brown
— (@Bobables) April 11, 2020
Underrated: Brandon Aiyuk https://t.co/4bqBcKigOg
The "1s" are set:
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) April 10, 2020
QB1 - Burrow
RB1 - Edwards-Helaire
WR1 - CeeDee Lamb (or Jeudy, idc)
TE1 - Adam Trautman
OT1 - Jedrick Wills
IOL1 - Cesar Ruiz
IDL1 - Javon Kinlaw
EDGE1 - Chase Young
LB1 - Patrick Queen
Avenger1 - Isaiah Simmons
CB1 - Jeff Okudah
S1 - Ashtyn Davis
Surprise 1st rounder: Jake Fromm
— Greg (@haha_its_greg) April 7, 2020
Player you're low on: Tua Tagovailoa
Player you're high on: Willie Gay Jr
Most Overhyped: Tua Tagovailoa
Most BUST Potential: Justin Herbert
Biggest draft day slide: Derrick Brown
#NFLDraft
— WILD SPICY (@OhFuckYeahBud82) April 7, 2020
Surprise 1st rounder: Jeremy Chinn
Player you're low on : Grant Delpit
Player you're high on : Brandon Aiyuk
Small school gem : Derrek Tuszka
Most Overhyped: Derrick Brown
Most BUST Potential: Laviska Shenault
Biggest draft day slide: Tee Higgins
Derrick Brown is gonna be an absolute hell no outta me https://t.co/urCvuihXa2
— Tyler (@MaskedAntler) April 7, 2020
Dude sucks I’ll be surprised if he’s a top 16 pick
— ☘️⚡️ (@CelticsGotNext) April 4, 2020
If we select that unathletic BUM @DerrickBrownAU5 , I might resign my fandom of this team.
— cDub ☄️ (@Thanatos_I_Amv2) April 4, 2020
Dead serious. Guy reeks.
The only way the giants would piss me off on Draft night is by selecting Derrick Brown with the 4th pick.
— NYG Gameday (@gamedaynyg) April 4, 2020
I would not take Derrick Brown in the Top 10 I don't even know if i'd take him top 15.
— 49ersMarco (@MarcoFootball16) March 31, 2020
Somebody tell Derrick Brown to block the Giants, and tell Isaiah Simmons to block everyone but the Giants https://t.co/8youZfHOSg
— Luke (@lutherj92) March 31, 2020
I totally agree. If there are reports about Derrick Brown not being committed to preparing for the NFL combine or negative things being said about his work ethic, I don't want to take a risk on him at 9. I'd much rather have a stud WR who is committed to his craft than him.
— FFSocrates (@FFMediocrates) March 30, 2020
He is where he should be and I will not let you tell me what to do! Child please https://t.co/YobuUK44xN
— George Chahrouri (@PFF_George) March 31, 2020
Such a wild feeling to bet the Derrick Brown under, but know he doesn't belong anywhere near the top 20, let alone top 10.
— Anthony Amico (@amicsta) March 31, 2020
Yet someone is going to make a huge mistake drafting Derrick Brown in rd1 https://t.co/RwFMdbhaLP
— GeobeyChief (@GeobeyChief) March 28, 2020
Yet someone is going to make a huge mistake drafting Derrick Brown in rd1 https://t.co/RwFMdbhaLP
— GeobeyChief (@GeobeyChief) March 28, 2020
I’m guessing we are safe from that Derrick Brown nightmare now. https://t.co/r4Fyul7ZvH
— NYG Chambers (@NYGChambers) March 26, 2020
Derrick Brown is ass.. he is useless in todays NFL
— Pistol Pete (@PeteAnna87) March 23, 2020
When the niners draft Derrick Brown at 13 instead of Lamb or Jeudy pic.twitter.com/AoVkVLiEX2
— ™⚾️ (@Drewtron_) March 18, 2020
Your summation of Derrick Brown is absolutely spot on and something I have been saying after digging in more closely to his film and combine numbers. I think people are expecting him to be something he isn't. People comping him to Suh and I just don't see it.
— Kyle (@dangahv) March 14, 2020
But he also liked this tweet, which imagines him with the Raiders:
Derrick Brown.
— Maurice Moton (@MoeMoton) April 4, 2020
Best IDL. He’s not an athletic DT who’s going to get 10 sacks BUT he could:
-Demand double teams more than any #Raiders DL bc of his size/power
That opens up the pass rush across the line + allows LBs (Littleton & Kwiatkoski to make plays), which also helps DBs. https://t.co/NAfNyhQuQ9
And I officially got tired of listing all the Derrick Brown hate tweets that Derrick Brown liked on Twitter. There are many of them, which should give him plenty of motivation. Would you change your opinion of him at all knowing that he’s not afraid to face the criticism or does it make the criticism all the more real?
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