Defensive Surprise Player
Daniel: DE Derek Barnett. I had every reason to believe in Derek Barnett. I’d seen his film, seen him play in person in high school and knew what kind of athlete he is. Still, I had no idea he would make this type of impact this early at Tennessee. He’s been unblockable at times. Think about that. A true freshman on the defensive line in the SEC having his way with 21-year old veteran offensive linemen. I’ve seen it happen multiple times this year. He’s tied for first on the team in QB hurries, he leads the defensive line in overall tackles and he’s added depth and stability to a defensive line unit that has been one of the pleasant surprises of this team. And as just a freshmen and with a lot of help coming in via recruiting, Barnett could anchor a nasty defensive line of the future in Knoxville.
Houston: DE Derek Barnett. True freshman rarely make such a huge impact along the defensive line in their first season, but Derek Barnett is a rare talent. Barnett came in hungry, he came in prepared and he came in with a great work ethic. When you add all of those things to his physical prowess, you have the makings of a very good – and potentially great – player. As he gets stronger and more familiar with the scheme, Derek Barnett could truly become one of the best to ever play defensive end at Tennessee and that is not an exaggeration. He has a rare blend of size, speed and tenacity that give him an incredibly high ceiling. Also, and this is just a hunch, I have a feeling that you could see Barnett get some snaps on the offensive side of the ball before his career at Tennessee is finished…I’ll just leave it at that.
Reed: DE Derek Barnett. He’s already the most productive defensive lineman on the team and he’s improving week to week. Not only is he physically abusing older offensive linemen, he’s been extremely disciplined the whole season and rarely loses contain. Barnett ranks 14th in the SEC in tackles for loss…as a true freshman. The sky is the limit for Barnett and if he keeps it up, he’ll have a very successful collegiate and professional career.
