3 young Carolina Panthers players who are emerging ballers
By Dean Jones
Derrick Brown – Carolina Panthers DT
Another who came into the NFL with a tremendous amount of pressure on his shoulders was Derrick Brown. The Carolina Panthers opted to select the defensive tackle over Isaiah Simmons at No. 7 overall with a view to the player becoming the foundation of their defense for the next decade.
Brown has endured a baptism of fire to a certain extent over the first three weeks of his professional career. He got a rude awakening as to just what it is going to take in order to make a success of his NFL career against a formidable Las Vegas Raiders interior in Week 1 and his less than stellar showing at the Buccaneers the following weekend was concerning, to say the least.
The former Auburn standout answered his critics and more with a starring display at the Chargers. Brown was a relentless force on the line of scrimmage and even showcased his ability to get into the opposition’s backfield for the first time.
Having no preseason games to fully adjust before competitive action got underway was bound to come with some inconsistencies early on. Brown will be under scrutiny more than most, which is to be expected of a high-end draft selection. But if the lineman can build on this showing going forward, then the Panthers are going to have an exceptional player on their hands.