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Meet the Prospect: Derek Barnett

Name: Derek Barnett

Position: Defensive end

School: Tennessee

Ht/Wt: 6-3, 259

40 dash: 4.88 seconds

Vertical: 31.0 inches

Broad: 117.0 inches

3-cone: 6.96 seconds

20-yard shuttle: 4.44 seconds

How he fits: Production. Production. Production. That's the name of the game when it comes to Barnett. He was the first freshman in the history of Tennessee to start along their defensive line. He recorded 20.5 tackles for loss (which led the SEC) and 10 sacks that year. He followed that up with 10 more sacks his sophomore year and 13 this past season as a junior.

The Lions recorded just 26 sacks last season, and only 18.5 of those came off the edge from their defensive ends. Those numbers can partly be attributed to Ziggy Ansah dealing with an injury most of the season, but that just reinforces the need to have more depth at the position.

It's been well documented throughout the offseason how the Lions can still afford to add a youthful pass rusher, even after signing Kerry Hyder, Armonty Bryant and Cornelius Washington in free agency.

Key observations: Barnett set a new Tennessee all-time career sacks record at 33.0, breaking the previous mark of 32.0 held by legendary Hall of Famer Reggie White.

His 52.0 career tackles for loss ranks second in Tennessee history only behind Leonard Little's 53.0.

What they had to say about him: "Barnett has a square, sturdy frame for the position and he's been extremely productive throughout his career. As a pass rusher, he primarily wins with power or snap anticipation. He doesn't have elite speed or agility, but he's very powerful and he knows how to set up offensive tackles. He has a variety of hand moves and his motor never stops. He knows how to flatten to the quarterback at the very top of his pass rush and he's an excellent finisher. Against the run, he is inconsistent at the point of attack. He gets washed down the line on occasion but will also destroy tight ends and set the edge. Overall, I love Barnett's production and motor but there are some concerns with his athleticism." – Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com

How he stacks up: Barnett came in at No. 13 on Jeremiah's list of the 50 top prospects in this year's draft. CBSSports.com lists Barnett as the No. 3 defensive end available behind Myles Garrett (Texas A&M) and Solomon Thomas (Stanford). He also checks in at No. 3 behind Garrett and Thomas on NFL Network Analyst Mike Mayock's list of the top five at the position. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. lists Barnett as the No. 22 overall prospect available on his Big Board.

What he had to say: "I think I have three great years of film playing here," Barnett told 247sports.com after his pro day. "I think I went through this training pretty good and now it's up to the teams to make a decision."

View photos of Tennessee DE Derek Barnett.

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