IDP Rookie SWOT: Derek Barnett

Name: Derek Barnett

Position: Defensive End

Pro Team: Philadelphia Eagles

College Team: Tennessee

Draft Status: Round One, Pick 14

Video Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTcfc1RzzxA

Combine Review

• Height: 6’3”
• Weight: 259 pounds
• Hands: 10”
• Arm Length: 32.125”
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.88
• Vertical: 31”
• Broad: 117”
• 3-Cone: 6.96 seconds
• 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.44 seconds

Strengths

Woo!  Just a heads up, but my editor is going to have a tough time keeping this strengths section under 5,000 words.  [Editor’s note: As an Eagles fan, I’m okay with it.]  Derek Barnett may not play like the stereotypically 4-3 defensive end, but he does so many good things as a defensive lineman.  Let’s break down what the typical Derek Barnett snap looks like to cover all of his strengths.

Derek Barnett starts with his hand in the dirt somewhere in between three and seven tech almost all of the time.  From there he generally jumps off of the snap before the entire opposing team’s offensive line does.  His first step is lightning for a defensive lineman.  If it isn’t lightning fast, Derek is normally pulling a stunt through the A or B gap in tandem with a defensive tackle.

If an offensive lineman gets a fast enough jump to get his hands on Derek, that still might not matter.  Derek uses a strategic variety of leverages with his hands and subtle moves to offset any size or strength disadvantages he might suffer.  If an offensive lineman hooks Derek’s arm, he often makes a quick tug downward instead of away from contact to maintain his current arc around the edge towards the quarterback.  If an offensive lineman tries to shove instead of hold Derek, he’ll plant and swim under the arms, dip his shoulder and launch himself into the quarterback avoiding major contact, or he’ll fake outside and get sideways to penetrate inside.  Derek’s variety of moves and execution for a college player made him a nasty efficient pass rusher.

His finish is where he really separates himself from many defensive ends in this class.  Barnett may be 259 pounds (or a few more), but he doesn’t really play with power.  He often uses surprising agility and quickness to beat the opposition.  When he does win, it’s because he has that speed.  Derek generally finishes fast and with more ferocity than most quarterbacks are used to seeing from a finesse defensive end.  Quite often opposing quarterbacks are clearly aware that Barnett is beating his man, think they have enough time to do something, but by the time they start moving their feet it’s over.  While many defensive ends take a while to get off contact Barnett simply does not.  Maybe that’s why he accumulated 32 sacks in just 39 career games at Tennessee

Weaknesses

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That’s enough strengths to mention for now.  We have to draw the line somewhere.  Let’s get to the few issues Derek may have at the next level.

While Derek does play the leverage game very well so as not to lose momentum as he weaves his way to the quarterback, he very rarely plays big.  When he faces a technical or quick-footed lineman in the NFL he may have to use a bull rush for once.  After watching several games of Barnett, he may attempt a flat out bull rush on the edge two or three times per game, but that’s it.  And generally, when he does, there isn’t much success.  Maybe he gets stronger or learns to properly time and leverage a bull rush, but until he does that it is definitely concerning.

Derek is clearly a smart player who can usually read plays pretty quickly.  That much is clear.  However, he can find himself out of place trying to anticipate or get to a spot first in the run game.  There are several examples where Derek makes the correct move, but gets shoved beyond the point of attack and winds up watching the play finish from behind.

Those two notes are really it as far as weaknesses go.  Derek needs to figure out how to play big and time his run defense a little bit better.  If he can do that, NFL offenses are in for a nasty surprise.

Opportunities

This is where things get dicey, but possibly amazing for Derek Barnett as well in the long-term.

Brandon Graham absolutely exploded in 2016 as the surefire best defensive end on the Eagles.  He’s a lock for the long haul at defensive end for the foreseeable future in Philly.  However, the other defensive end position is (or at least should be) a hot mess of competition (but we’ll get to that).

The truth is that the range of outcomes, in terms of snap opportunities for Derek is incredibly wide in 2017.  If Derek gets locked into the fourth defensive end slot in rotation (or Brandon Graham’s reliever) he could easily play as little as 20% of defensive snaps in year one (like Marcus Smith last year at 21%).  However, if he wows early on the Eagles could just dive in head first with Derek opposite Brandon Graham.  That would probably put him near 70% of defensive snaps like Connor Barwin in 2016.

Why is that range potentially so wide?

Threats

As I mentioned earlier, the defensive end position opposite Brandon Graham is a hot mess.

Vinny Curry was the third defensive end for the Eagles in 2016 (behind Graham and Conner Barwin with 42% of defensive snaps).  He definitely has potential to keep at least a rotational role again this year. 

The Eagles also signed Chris Long to a slightly confusing front-weighted contract that is technically five years, but is really a two-year contact that could actually end up being a one-year contract,  depending on how things go.  Chris should (or could) be the second primary defensive end for the Eagles this year, but could easily be cut with virtually no penalty as early as 2018.

Then there’s Derek Barnett.  The Eagles spent the 14th overall pick on him, so it’s hard to imagine that he doesn’t see some significant snaps in year one.  However, if Vinny keeps his third defensive end role and Chris Long pans out, the Eagles would have no incentive to rush Barnett into a starting or even remotely extensive role right away.  That would be horrible for his dynasty value early on in his career.

Short-Term Expectations

Out of all of the top defensive ends in the 2017 class Derek Barnett may have the most confusing situation in the short-term.  There is absolutely no way he usurps Brandon Graham.  Chris Long seems to be the early favorite for the other defensive end job.  Vinny Curry’s cap hit is $9 million this year (with three more years on his contract remaining after that).  So how does Derek Barnett end up playing significant snaps right away?

Short-term, expectations should be incredibly limited.  Prepare to see a healthy rotation of four defensive ends in Philadelphia this year.  Brandon Graham probably still sees over 70% of snaps.  If Chris Long is the starting defensive end opposite Graham his pitch count will probably be lower than Barwin’s last season given his age and recent injury history.  That could leave both Vinny and Derek to help the entire Eagles rotation stay fresh, keeping the pressure on all game long off of the edge.

Long-Term Expectations

Long-term Derek Barnett should be easy money.  He has the speed, adequate size, and technique to record a few double-digit sack seasons once Chris Long is gone.  With Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham warranting a lot of the attention from offensive lines Barnett could find himself in favorable one-on-one matchups where he absolutely destroyed in college.

Rookie Draft Advice

I’ll keep this simple.  Draft Derek Barnett.  If your rookie draft is already over, trade for Derek Barnett.  His price is massively depressed because of his short-term situational questions.  The truth is he may end up being the best pass-rusher in this class.  Myles Garrett is a freak, but his efficiency numbers weren’t actually as good as Barnett.  Derek can be had cheaper than his potential long-term upside would generally go for.  Dynasty is about taking advantage of market inefficiencies.  Derek Barnett’s current dynasty value might be the perfect example.

Thanks for reading!  If you’re like me, you can’t wait to find the next bit of IDP content.  There will be more to come from me for sure.  As always you can find me on Twitter @FF_TravisM.  I’m always up to chat IDP, superflex, devy, dynasty, or maybe even some ultimate frisbee.  Until next time, keep living that dynasty life.

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