Panthers standout defender Derrick Brown is finally getting the proper respect he’s deserved from the people that actually matter
Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown just became the second Panthers player to crack the NFL’s Top-100 players list this offseason, joining quarterback Bryce Young.
The Carolina Panthers are finally on the up-swing as a franchise and that’s primarily due to some of the elite talent the team has brought in over the last few years and no player on this roster is better than defensive lineman Derrick Brown.
The former seventh overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft continues to be a beast for the Panthers and is coming off a strong bounce back season that should have been appreciated more than it was on a national stage.
Brown suffered a season-ending meniscus tear in his knee during Week 1 of the 2024 season, a brutal injury especially for a player of his size and at his position. He battled back from that injury and started all 17 games during the 2025 season at a Pro Bowl level.
Unfortunately, Brown was snubbed from that honor and largely overlooked for the impact he had on this entire team. That disrespect finally came to an end on Monday with Brown’s peers in the NFL giving him the proper respect he rightfully deserved.
Carolina Panthers DL Derrick Brown finally makes his first career NFL Top-100 debut
The NFL has been rolling out this year’s edition of the Top-100 players list, a list voted on by the players themselves, over the last week. On Monday, Brown made his first career debut on the list coming in at No. 90.
Brown joins fellow Panthers teammate Bryce Young on the list, who came in at No. 98 last week, with potentially more Panthers standouts to come.
This is an honor Brown has long deserved and it’s a testament to the respect he’s earned around the NFL as one of the more complete interior threats in the league. Brown ranked fourth among all interior defensive linemen with 51 sacks during the 2025-26 season with a league-high 44 stops. As a pass rusher, Brown added 5.0 sacks and 39 total pressures.
“Man, that’s a grown man right there,” Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson said of Brown on the NFL’s Top-100 announcement video. “He’s hard to move. Like, he will come and blow up the play… Derrick Brown is special. I love competing against him just because he is the best of the best.”
When it comes to Pro Bowls or All-Pro honors, which is decided by people outside the white lines, Brown has been heavily disrespected throughout his career. It’s great to see him finally get his flowers from those who actually understand how dominant he is.