One of the bright spots at OTAs for the Philadelphia Eagles has been rookie defensive end, Derek Barnett. Barnett worked from both right and left defensive end and showed why he was such a dominant pass rusher at Tennessee, breaking Reggie White’s career sack record.

Related Jim Schwartz already likes what he sees from Eagles rookie Derek Barnett

Granted, only so much can be pulled away from being in helmets, shorts, and t-shirts, however, Barnett’s technique has been outstanding. His rare ability to bend his body and run sideways as he turns the corner towards the quarterback has impressed veteran offensive lineman Lane Johnson.

His bend is probably the best in the draft class. It’s better than Myles Garrett. He may not be as twitchy as Garrett, but his bend is tremendous as well as his motor.

So much attention was paid to Myles Garrett’s athleticism and his muscular build during the draft process. Garrett has been mentioned along with names such as Julius Peppers and Jadeveon Clowney as a top defensive end prospect.

Meanwhile, Barnett is an outstanding football player who’s assets show up when it matters the most, on the football field. This is something that stood out to Eagles VP of Player Personnel Joe Douglas when he compared Barnett to Terrell Suggs. Neither player stood out during testing at the Combine, but when you turn on the tape, they jumped off of the screen.

During one of the team periods on Thursday, Barnett was able to get by him on three consecutive snaps. In Johnson’s defense, he was experimenting with some things at left tackle instead of lining up on the right side like he normally does.

Barnett displayed the violent hands that allowed him to be so effective in college. He also flashed a new spin move during the first wave of OTAs. Johnson praised Barnett after practice on Thursday.

Related Eagles DE Brandon Graham is ready to serve as mentor for Derek Barnett

“He got me a couple times today. I sat too flat on him,” Johnson explained. “He has such a good bend, so if you miss with your hands you’re going to get beat. You’re not going to break the Reggie White sack record in college if you don’t have good traits. He’s a high character guy. He’s nonstop and works his tail off. We are glad to have him.”

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