(03-13-2020, 08:25 AM)JagJohn Wrote: From TDN today:

DERRICK BROWN, DL, AUBURN
NFL comparison: D.J. Reader

It’s weird for a best-case comparison like this to be construed as a negative, but here we are. D.J. Reader, a massively underrated nose tackle who is about to cash in on the open market, is arguably the top run-stuffer in the league. He’s able to push the pocket and get to the quarterback. He’s also a more impactful pass-rusher than the majority of 0-techniques.

However, he’s still a nose tackle and one that simply doesn’t impact the game much because of the position he plays. It’s fairly easy to find defenders who can routinely clog the middle, even if a rare few can do it as well as Reader. Derrick Brown, despite his completely dominant film, is the same way. After displaying average athleticism at the combine, I don’t see the type of elite pass-rush upside he needs to warrant a high draft selection, which makes him a reach as a top-10 pick. Anywhere outside of that range continues to be tremendous value for Brown, but his price tag is something teams must be very cautious about.