Carolina Panthers: 3 reasons why Derrick Brown was the right pick

Brown’s influence on every down

Derrick Brown might not stuff the stat sheet like most prolific defensive lineman coming out of college. But underestimating his overall influence on the field would be a massive mistake.

The Auburn product was doubled-teamed on almost every down during his final year of college. While he was still able to make a significant impact, Brown also opened up space for others around him such as Marlon Davidson to come up with the necessary plays to help the team.

Any replication of this at the next level could see big things in the future for Brian Burns, Kawann Short, and Stephen Weatherly. The more attention Brow receives, the better their chances of becoming even more productive in 2020.

This is something general manager Marty Hurney is all too aware of and had this to say on the Panthers website regarding the matter.

"“So, this guy (Brown), he might not have the greatest stats in the world, but he helps other players make plays. You can’t double team everyone on the defensive line, you watch his tape and he was doubled a lot. He’s going to help our defensive lineman a lot, he’s going to help our linebackers and we thought he was a great fit for us.”"

Putting Brown in a position to be successful will be of paramount importance if the Panthers are to stand any chance of mounting an unlikely tilt at the NFC South crown next season. How others react with extra space is another intriguing element that must be taken advantage of.