Derrick Brown is one of the primary potential targets for the Detroit Lions with the 3rd pick in next week’s NFL Draft. Nothing against the Auburn defensive tackle, but history says taking anyone at his position at that spot is a poor decision.
The No. 3 overall pick has been used four times on a defensive tackle since 2000. Two of the players selected even earned All-Pro berths on their rookie contracts, but it ultimately did not help their respective teams enough.
Quinnen Williams, 2019
Too early to evaluate the returns on Williams, the 3rd pick in 2019. The Jets tabbed Williams third overall and he was an instant starter. Williams bagged 2.5 sacks as a rookie after notching eight in his final season with the Crimson Tide.
Williams looks like a solid player after one season. But his impact on the Jets’ success was negligible. New York was 29th in 2018 in both scoring defense and yards allowed. In 2019 with Williams, they improved to 25th and 27th, respectively. The Jets improved from 4-12 to 7-9 but it came from the offense, which rocketed from 29th in scoring to 7th from 2018 to 2019.