Former New England Patriots great Willie McGinest finished his career with 86 sacks so it's safe to say he knows a thing or two about getting to the quarterback.
The three-time Super Bowl Champion is now an analyst for the NFL Network and recently shared his thoughts on the 2017 defensive rookie class.
He's high on overall No. 1 pick Myles Garrett but he likes Eagles DE Derek Barnett's chances to win Defensive Rookie of the Year a whole lot as well.
McGinest even calls Barnett the "best pass rusher in this class."
Winning DROY takes:
1) Talent
2) Production
3) Scheme Fit
4) Supporting Cast
These are my top 4 candidates from this year's stacked class:— Willie McGinest (@WillieMcGinest) August 31, 2017
1) MYLES GARRETT: Safest DROY pick. Lightning fast with rare explosiveness off the edge. If fully healthy, he can get 10+ sacks as a rookie.— Willie McGinest (@WillieMcGinest) August 31, 2017
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2) DEREK BARNETT: Best pass rusher in this class IMO. Not as freakish as Garrett, but more refined with hands & technique/on a better team.— Willie McGinest (@WillieMcGinest) August 31, 2017
3) JAMAL ADAMS: NYJ is in rebuild. He can lead that secondary unit from day 1. Good in coverage and a sure tackler. He brings it like a LB!— Willie McGinest (@WillieMcGinest) August 31, 2017
4) REUBEN FOSTER: Malcolm Smith is out for the year, so I think he shines right away as SF's 4-3 WLB making plays from sideline to sideline.— Willie McGinest (@WillieMcGinest) August 31, 2017
McGinest isn't the only expert who likes Barnett's chances to bring home some hardware this season. NFL.com rounded up some other expert picks for DROY and a few more picked the Eagles rookie.
Steve Wyche: Derek Barnett, DE, Philadelphia Eagles. He is showing in the preseason how special and tenacious he is at getting after the passer. Playing on that defensive front in a pass-happy division will benefit him.
Marc Sessler: Barnett. It's August, and Philly's rough-and-tumble rookie already looks like a savvy veteran ready to wreak havoc.
