Derek Barnett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Derek Barnett

Barnett with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019
No. 95 – Houston Texans
Position:	Defensive end
Personal information
Born:	(1996-06-25) June 25, 1996 (age 29) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	259 lb (117 kg)
Career information
High school:	Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tennessee)
College:	Tennessee (2014–2016)
NFL Draft:	2017 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14
Career history
Philadelphia Eagles (2017–2023) Houston Texans (2023–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LII) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2017) Consensus All-American (2016) First-team All-SEC (2016) 2× Second-team All-SEC (2014, 2015) All-SEC Freshman Team (2014)
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Total tackles: 195 Sacks: 29.0 Forced fumbles: 5 Fumble recoveries: 5 Pass deflections: 1 Defensive touchdowns: 3
Player stats at PFR

Derek Anthony Barnett, born on June 25, 1996, is a professional American football player. He plays as a defensive end for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. The Philadelphia Eagles chose him as the 14th player picked in the 2017 NFL draft.

Early Life and High School Football

Derek Barnett grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He went to Brentwood Academy in Brentwood, Tennessee. In his senior year of high school, he made 60 tackles. He also had 5.5 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing team's quarterback. Experts rated him as a top four-star recruit. In 2013, he decided to play college football for the University of Tennessee.

College Football Career

Derek Barnett played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. He was a standout player during his time there.

Playing for Tennessee in 2014

Barnett made history in 2014. He was the first true freshman (first-year student) defensive lineman to start the first game for Tennessee. In his first game, he had three tackles. He got his first college sack the next week. Later that season, he had his first game with more than one sack. He also recovered a fumble for the first time. In a game against South Carolina, he had a season-high three sacks. Barnett helped his team reach a bowl game for the first time in years. He finished his first season with 10 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss. These were new records for a freshman at Tennessee.

Playing for Tennessee in 2015

Barnett started the 2015 season strong. In a game against Oklahoma, he had a career-high 15 tackles. He also forced a fumble against Western Carolina. Against Georgia, he had seven tackles and a sack. He recorded two sacks in a game against Kentucky. Later, he had two more sacks against Vanderbilt. Barnett helped his team win the 2016 Outback Bowl against Northwestern. He had eight tackles and a sack in that game.

Playing for Tennessee in 2016

In 2016, Barnett continued to impress. He had two sacks in a big win against Florida. This was Tennessee's first win over Florida since 2004. He also forced a crucial fumble against Georgia. This fumble was recovered by a teammate for a touchdown. In a game against Alabama, he had a sack and even caught an interception. He recorded three sacks against South Carolina. Barnett had at least one sack in each of his last three regular season games.

On December 30, 2016, Barnett broke a huge record. He broke the University of Tennessee's career sack record. The old record was held by Reggie White, a famous player. Barnett finished his college career with 33 sacks. After this season, he decided to enter the NFL draft early.

College Statistics Overview

Here's a quick look at Derek Barnett's college stats:

Professional Football Career

Many experts thought Derek Barnett would be a top pick in the NFL draft. He was considered one of the best defensive ends available.

Joining the Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles chose Derek Barnett as the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. He was the third defensive end picked that year. On June 2, 2017, he signed a four-year contract with the Eagles.

Rookie Season in 2017

Barnett played his first professional game against the Washington Redskins. He made two tackles in that game. In Week 6, he got his first career half-sack. In Week 7, he had his first game with multiple sacks, getting two against the Redskins. He had another two-sack game in Week 11 against the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 16, he scored his first career touchdown. He recovered a fumble and ran it 23 yards for a score. He finished his rookie season with 21 tackles and five sacks. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

The Eagles had a great season, winning 13 games. They made it to the playoffs. Barnett helped the Eagles win their first playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons. The next week, he had a key sack against the Minnesota Vikings. On February 4, 2018, the Eagles played in Super Bowl LII. Barnett recovered a very important fumble late in the game. This helped the Eagles win their first Super Bowl title!

Injuries and Comebacks

In 2018, Barnett played only seven games. He had a shoulder injury that needed surgery, ending his season early. He recorded 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks that year.

In 2019, Barnett played in 14 games. He had a strong season with 6.5 sacks and 30 tackles. He also forced two fumbles. The Eagles decided to keep him for another year by using a special contract option.

In 2020, Barnett missed the first week with a hamstring injury. He played in 13 games but then had a calf injury. He finished the season with 5.5 sacks and 34 tackles.

In 2021, Barnett was a starting defensive end for the Eagles. He played in 16 games and made 15 starts. He recorded 46 tackles and two sacks.

In 2022, Barnett signed a new contract with the Eagles. However, in the very first game, he tore a ligament in his knee (ACL). This injury meant he missed the rest of the season. The Eagles went on to reach Super Bowl LVII without him.

In 2023, Barnett's playing time with the Eagles was reduced. He was later released by the team in November.

Joining the Houston Texans

On November 27, 2023, the Houston Texans picked up Derek Barnett. He played in six games for the Texans that season, starting four of them. He recorded 2.5 sacks. In the playoffs, he had a sack in a win against the Cleveland Browns.

Barnett re-signed with the Texans on April 1, 2024. On November 18, 2024, he had an amazing play against the Dallas Cowboys. He sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble. He then recovered another fumble and ran it 28 yards for a touchdown! In Week 18, he scored another touchdown by returning a fumble 36 yards. He finished the 2024 season with five sacks, 26 tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns.

On March 10, 2025, Barnett re-signed with the Texans again for another year.

NFL Career Statistics

Here are Derek Barnett's regular season stats:

Regular Season Games

Playoff Games

Awards and Honors

Derek Barnett has received many awards and honors throughout his football career.

College Honors

• 2014 — Grantland National Rookie of the Year
• 2014 — Freshman All-SEC Team
• 2015 — All-SEC Second-team
• 2015 — ProFootballFocus All-American
• 2016 — Sporting News All-American Second-team
• 2016 — Walter Camp First-team All-American
• 2016 — AP First-team All-American
• 2016 — FWAA Second-team All-American
• 2016 — CBS Sports First-team All-American
• 2016 — AFCA Second-team All-American

Professional Honors

• 2017 — NFL.com Preseason All-Rookie First-team
• 2017 — PFWA All-Rookie Team
• Super Bowl champion (LII)

Records

• Most career sacks in Tennessee history (33)