Former Auburn Tigers defensive tackle Derrick Brown may go in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and part of it is because of how similarly he plays like D.J. Reader.
Carter Donnick of The Draft Network took a look at the top prospects in the draft, and his immediate comparison for Brown was the Houston Texans’ defensive tackle, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 18.
Donnick sees Brown as more of a run-stuffing nose tackle, like Reader, rather than a pass-rushing threat. Nonetheless, there is still value to be had if a team takes Brown, even in the first round.
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.
Could the Texans get Brown? Unlikely — the Texans’ first selection of the draft comes at No. 57 overall deep in the second round. Brown won’t fall that far. If the Texans allow Reader to test the open free agent market, which could be the case, then they will have to beef up their defensive tackle situation either in free agency or the draft. Currently, they have Brandon Dunn locked up with a three-year contract. However, the Texans still need quality depth along the interior of their defensive line.