4 Carolina Panthers players who could be breakout stars in 2021
By Dean Jones
Derrick Brown – Carolina Panthers DT
The Carolina Panthers picked up a potential star when they opted to use the No. 7 overall selection in 2020 on Derrick Brown. His time at Auburn was littered with memorable highlights and although some sections of the team’s fanbase wanted those in power to go with Isaiah Simmons, it seems like they made the right call.
Brown showed more than enough during his rookie campaign to suggest he’s going to be Carolina’s anchor on the defensive line interior for years to come. He visibly grew in stature with every passing game and this was reflected in some eye-catching numbers that alleviated almost every concern against his play during the evaluation process.
Considering the main problem people had with Brown was that they were unconvinced in his potential to generate pressure, it was somewhat surprising to see this area of his game thrive the most.
He recorded two sacks, eight tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, and 34 pressures during the season, which was especially pleasing and a great foundation from which to build.
If Brown can assist more in run support next season and continue to wreak havoc despite commanding double-teams more often than not, the sky is the limit. He is an essential piece of the puzzle in Carolina and considering how hard he works, there could be great things in the player’s immediate future.