Carolina Panthers: Top five first-round 2020 NFL draft targets

Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

The interior defensive line stands out as one of the most obvious needs on the Carolina Panthers roster. Gerald McCoy, Vernon Butler and Kyle Love are all free agents. Dontari Poe is still under contract for one more season, but it is for big money and the Panthers could get out of it pretty easily. They will likely be looking for a young interior defensive lineman in the 2020 NFL Draft to pair with Kawann Short.

Derrick Brown is not only the best defensive tackle in the class, but he is also one of the best overall defensive players. Brown was a four-year contributor at Auburn and became an extremely disruptive and productive player later in his career. Through the last three seasons, Brown has piled up 31.5 tackles per loss and 11.5 sacks, pretty impressive numbers for an interior defensive lineman. However, to really appreciate Brown, you have to watch him work.

Brown shows an incredible combination of explosive athleticism and power on the inside. He is ridiculously quick off of the ball and does a great job of maintaining leverage at the point of attack. Brown also shows strong hands and almost always wins the immediate battle against the opposing offensive lineman. Brown is a stout run defender who can hold his own in two-gap situations, but he really shines when he is allowed to pin his ears back and shoot the gaps.

Not only is Brown an incredibly talented player who would fill an obvious need for the Carolina Panthers, but he is also an extremely hard-working guy who always gets the most out of his ability. His competitive toughness and motor are off of the charts, leading to many plays with him in the backfield and around the ball.

Brown is undoubtedly one of the best prospects in this entire class and would be a slam dunk selection for Carolina at number seven.