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Philadelphia Eagles coaches, players gushing over former Tennessee Vols DE Derek Barnett

By Caleb Calhoun

Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Derek Barnett (Tennessee) is selected as the number 14 overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Derek Barnett (Tennessee) is selected as the number 14 overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Philadelphia coaches and players can’t stop praising former Tennessee Volunteers defensive end Derek Barnett. He’s already making a strong NFL impression.

It all started a week ago. Stories were already leaking about former Vols star lineman Derek Barnett impressing his fellow Eagles teammates.

According to Matt Lombardo NJ.com, the record-setting college defensive end was one of the major standouts from the first practice of Philadelphia’s OTA’s. And the players took note.

There was one common theme among the praise for Barnett: his bend.

Offensive linemen Lance Johnson and Dillon Gordon and fellow defensive linemen Brandon Graham and Vinny Curry all commented on Barnett’s skill, and they all noted his bend.

Johnson praised his lean as well. Gordon, who could not handle Barnett at all according to reports, noted that he is strong and very agile.

Graham added he wants to help Barnett as much as possible. Curry said he also has a good get-off.

A week later, Derek Barnett’s defensive coordinator also began praising him.

In comments on the Philadelphia Eagles’ website, Jim Schwartz noted Barnett’s toughness.

"“Any time, turn around and look at that No. 92 (Reggie White) back there, any time anyone can break any record that guy has, that’s going to get your attention pretty quick. Was productive game in and game out.…(Barnett’s) got a great center of balance. He’s not on the ground very much. He’s got some things to work on like any rookie, but he was an effective player against all competition. He was consistent from game to game. He’s tough as can be. He’s good against the run and good against the pass. We’ve pointed out his effort a couple of times in practice.”"

Of course, this all is no surprise to Vols fans. He may have had some tangible weaknesses, but it was clear from the start that he’s just a football player.

And production matters.

As a result, fans, coaches and teammates will love him from the start. After all, he’s a football player in the perfect situation.

When he gets a chance to maximize his potential in Philadelphia, even that rough city will embrace him. Meanwhile, coaches and players are going to continue to gush over him as the offseason wanes on.

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