Carolina Panthers training camp: 4 big questions facing the DL

Carolina Panthers Question No. 2: How will Derrick Brown cope with expectations?

The Carolina Panthers made Derrick Brown their first-round pick when they selected him No. 7 overall. He was nothing short of a monster during his time at Auburn. And there is a tremendous amount of expectations on him to replicate this at the next level.

Brown is a space-eating force on the defensive line interior. He excelled in the face of constant double-teams for the Tigers. And although he is going to be coming up against more talented offensive linemen in the pros. The player comes with the highest of ceilings.

There is a lot to like about the sort of talent that Brown brings to the table. Some have questioned his ability to get to the quarterback in the NFL. But this is something that is hard to gauge due to how much attention college offenses gave him almost throughout his tenor at Auburn.

The lineman accumulated 170 combined tackles, 89 solo tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, eight pass deflections, and five forced fumbles during his four-year stint with the Tigers. He has Pro Bowler written all over him. But much will depend on how Brown lives with these lofty expectations next season and beyond.

Having a proven player alongside him in Kawann Short is going to help massively. This will allow Brown to learn from one of the best in the business. And it will also take some of the pressure off in terms of being a No. 1 option in his first year.