2020 NFL Draft: Carolina Panthers play it safe with Derrick Brown at No. 7

The Carolina Panthers make the expected selection and take Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown with the seventh pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Throughout the come-up to the 2020 NFL Draft there were numerous mock drafts that had the Carolina Panthers taking Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown. He’s one of the safest prospects in this class, in my opinion, and has the potential to be a dominant pro bowl level defender for Carolina.

There were some options for the Carolina Panthers and one of them was a possible trade down where they could’ve collected some draft picks and still had the chance to pick up a talented prospect. Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson’s name popped up a bit, but they stuck to their guns and took a dominant interior defender.

Brown is one of the best prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft. He possesses the quickness and power to dominate the opposition. The NFC South better be ready for this stud. He has the versatility to play anywhere on the defensive line and will make his unit better in the process.

If I were to give the Carolina Panthers a grade for this pick it would be an A-. The grade was just short of being perfect due to the fact that I believe they could’ve moved down a few picks and still select a blue-chip prospect. Isaiah Simmons was still on the board and he would’ve had a bigger impact for the Carolina defense. However, overall, Derrick Brown is a fantastic player to have in the building.

Matt Rhule knows how to build his team up and that’s from the trenches. I will be curious to see where he goes from here. They still need an interior lineman on the offensive side of the ball and I’m sure that will be a position to look out for.