 Barnett with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 95 – Houston Texans | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Defensive end | ||||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||
| College | Tennessee (2014–2016) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2017: 1st round, 14th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2025 | |||||||||||||||
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Derek Anthony Barnett (born June 25, 1996) is an American professionalfootballdefensive end for theHouston Texans of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theTennessee Volunteers, and was selected by thePhiladelphia Eagles with the 14th overall pick in the2017 NFL draft.
Barnett attendedBrentwood Academy inBrentwood, Tennessee. As a senior, he had 60tackles (18 for loss) and 5.5sacks. He was rated by theRivals.com recruiting network as a four-star recruit.[1] In 2013, he committed to theUniversity of Tennessee to playcollege football under head coachButch Jones.[2]
Barnett became the firsttrue freshman defensive lineman to start the season opener inTennessee history.[3][4] In the season opener againstUtah State atNeyland Stadium, Barnett had three total tackles in the home victory.[5] In the following week againstArkansas State, he had his first career collegiate sack in the home victory.[6] In Barnett's first game against a conference opponent, he totaled eight tackles againstGeorgia in a loss atSanford Stadium in theannual rivalry game.[7] Against theChattanooga Mocs, he had his first career collegiate fumble recovery in the home victory.[8] AgainstOle Miss, he had his first multi-sack game of his collegiate career with 2.0 in the road loss atVaught–Hemingway Stadium. In addition, he recorded ten total tackles.[9] On November 1, againstSouth Carolina, Barnett had a season-high three sacks to go along with five total tackles in the overtime win atWilliams-Brice Stadium.[10] Barnett would be an instrumental asset for the Volunteers in making a bowl game for the first time since the2010 season. In the2015 TaxSlayer Bowl againstIowa, Barnett had three total tackles in the 45–28 victory atEverBank Field inJacksonville, Florida.[11]
Overall, Barnett played in all 13 games and made 10 starts in the 2014 season.[12] He finished the season with school true freshman records of 10 sacks and 20.5tackles for loss.[13][14][15][16] Both Barnett andMyles Garrett, ofTexas A&M brokeJadeveon Clowney's SEC freshman sack record, which had previously been 8.0.[17]
Barnett started the 2015 season with a four-tackle performance againstBowling Green atNissan Stadium inNashville, Tennessee.[18] In the home opener against theOklahoma Sooners, Barnett had a career day with 15 total tackles, of which 1.5 was for loss, and one sack in the 2OT loss to the Sooners.[19] AgainstWestern Carolina, he had a forced fumble in the home victory over the Catamounts.[20] AgainstGeorgia at Neyland Stadium, Barnett had seven total tackles and a sack in the Volunteers's first win over the Bulldogs in several years.[21] AgainstAlabama in theirannual rivalry game, Barnett recorded a sack against the eventual National Champions atBryant–Denny Stadium in a narrow 19–14 loss.[22] In the following week againstKentucky, Barnett had his first multi-sack game of the season with two against the Wildcats in the road victory atCommonwealth Stadium.[23] On November 28, againstVanderbilt, Barnett recorded two sacks in the home victory over theirin-state rival.[24] In2016 Outback Bowl againstNorthwestern, Barnett had eight total tackles and a sack in the 45–6 victory atRaymond James Stadium inTampa, Florida.[25]
Barnett started his junior season with a seven-tackle performance in an overtime home victory overAppalachian State.[26] In the2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol againstVirginia Tech atBristol Motor Speedway, he had one tackle in the highly anticipated neutral site game.[27] In theannual rivalry game against SEC East rivalFlorida at Neyland Stadium, Barnett had five total tackles and two sacks in the Volunteers's first victory over the Gators since2004.[28] AgainstGeorgia at Sanford Stadium, Barnett had five total tackles and two sacks for the second straight game, and in addition, recorded a crucial forced fumble, off of quarterbackJacob Eason, that was recovered by teammateCorey Vereen for a defensive touchdown.[29] AgainstTexas A&M atKyle Field, Barnett had six total tackles and a sack in the Volunteers' first loss of the season.[30] AgainstAlabama the following week, Barnett had three total tackles, a sack, and an interception off of quarterbackJalen Hurts in the Volunteers' 49–10 home loss.[31] Two weeks later, Barnett recorded three sacks againstSouth Carolina .[32] In the last three games of the regular season, which were againstKentucky at home,Missouri at home, andVanderbilt on the road atVanderbilt Stadium, Barnett would record one sack in each game. Tennessee finished with an 8–4 record and appeared in a bowl game at the end of the season.[33]
On December 30, 2016, in the2016 Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium, Barnett broke the University of Tennessee career sack record of 32.0, which was formerly held by Pro Football Hall of FamerReggie White, who played for thePhiladelphia Eagles, the NFL team that eventually drafted Barnett.[34] In the bowl game, Barnett recorded six total tackles and a sack, which was the record-breaker.[35] After the season, Barnett decided to forgo his senior year and enter the2017 NFL draft.[36]
| Season | Team | GP | Defense | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmb | TfL | Sck | Int | FF | |||
| 2014 | Tennessee | 13 | 73 | 20.5 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Tennessee | 13 | 69 | 12.5 | 10.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | Tennessee | 13 | 56 | 19 | 13.0 | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 39 | 198 | 52 | 33.0 | 1 | 3 | |
Coming out of Tennessee, Barnett was projected to be a first round pick by the majority of NFL draft experts and scouts. He received an invitation to theNFL Combine, but opted to skip thebench press,short shuttle, andthree-cone drill due to a stomach bug. On March 31, 2017, Barnett participated at Tennessee'spro day and ran drills for around 100 scouts and team representatives from all 32 NFL teams attended to watch Barnett perform all of the combine and positional drills.[37] He was ranked the fourth bestdefensive end byESPN and was ranked the third best defensive end prospect bySports Illustrated, NFL media analystBucky Brooks, NFLDraftScout.com, andPro Football Focus.[38][39][40][41]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Derek Barnett's NFL Combine workout | |
| Derek Barnett's 40-yard dash | |
| Barnett's NFL Combine interview |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 259 lb (117 kg) | 32+1⁄8 in (0.82 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 4.88 s | 1.70 s | 2.84 s | 4.44 s | 6.96 s | 31 in (0.79 m) | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) | 20 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine/Tennessee'sPro Day[42][43][44] | ||||||||||||
| External videos | |
|---|---|
| Eagles select Derek Barnett 14th overall | |
| Barnett's 2017 NFL Draft Interview |
ThePhiladelphia Eagles selected Barnett in the first round (14th overall) of the2017 NFL draft, using the pick acquired by tradingSam Bradford to theMinnesota Vikings.[45] He was the third defensive end to be selected, behindMyles Garrett (1st overall,Cleveland Browns) andSolomon Thomas (3rd overall,San Francisco 49ers). Barnett was the first of six Tennessee Volunteers to be selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.[46] On June 2, 2017, the Eagles signed him to a fully guaranteed four-year, $12.85 million contract with a signing bonus of $7.48 million.[47]
He competed withBrandon Graham,Chris Long,Vinny Curry, andSteven Means throughout training camp for a job as a starting defensive end. Head coachDoug Pederson named him the backup right defensive end behind veteran Vinny Curry to start the regular season.[48]
He made his professional regular season debut during the Eagles' season-opener again theWashington Redskins and recorded two solo tackles in a 30–17 victory.[49] In Week 6, Barnett collected two solo tackles and was credited with half a sack onCarolina Panthers quarterbackCam Newton during a 28–23 victory.[50] His sack on Cam Newton marked the first one of his career. In Week 7, against the Redskins, he recorded three tackles and had his first career game with multiple sacks with two.[51] In Week 11, against theDallas Cowboys, he recorded another two-sack game in the 37–9 victory.[52] In Week 16, he recorded his first career touchdown on a 23-yard fumble recovery in the 19–10 victory over theOakland Raiders.[53] He finished his rookie season in2017 with 21 combined tackles (18 solo) and five sacks in 15 games and zero starts.[54] He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[55]
The Philadelphia Eagles finished atop theNFC East with a 13–3 record, clinching home field advantage and a first round bye. On January 13, 2018, Barnett appeared in his first career playoff game and helped the Eagles defeat theAtlanta Falcons 15–10 in the NFC Divisional Round.[56] The following week, Barnett had two solo tackles and had a strip sack on quarterbackCase Keenum during a 38–7 victory against theMinnesota Vikings.[57] On February 4, 2018 inSuper Bowl LII, he recovered a pivotal fumble caused byBrandon Graham after Graham strip sackedTom Brady late in the fourth quarter of the Eagles' 41–33 victory over theNew England Patriots.[58] This marked the Eagles' first Super Bowl victory in franchise history.[59][60]
Barnett played seven games before being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery. He recorded 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks on the year.[61]
In the 2019 season, Barnett appeared in 14 games and recorded 6.5 sacks, 30 total tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss, 22 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles.[62]
On April 28, 2020, the Eagles exercised the fifth-year option on Barnett's contract.[63]
After missing the first week with a hamstring injury, Barnett played in 13 games (starting the final 10 of those) but suffered a calf injury that sidelined him in Week 16. With the Eagles eliminated the preceding week, he did not play in Week 17 so that he could heal. He finished the season with 5.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, and 34 tackles on the season.[64]
Barnett entered the season as a starting defensive end alongside Brandon Graham. He played in 16 games with 15 starts, recording 46 tackles, and two sacks.[65]
On March 24, 2022, Barnett signed a two-year contract extension with the Eagles.[66] On September 11, during the season opener against the Detroit Lions, Barnett suffered a tornACL, which knocked him out for the remainder of the season.[67] Without Barnett, the Eagles reachedSuper Bowl LVII where they lost 38–35 to theKansas City Chiefs.[68]
Barnett was waived on November 24, 2023, after his playing time was significantly reduced.[69]
On November 27, 2023, Barnett was claimed off waivers by theHouston Texans.[70] In the 2023 season, he started four games and appeared in six games for the Texans. He recorded 2.5 sacks and a pass defended for the team.[71] In the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, Barnett had a sack in the victory over the Browns.[72]
Barnett re-signed with the Texans on April 1, 2024.[73] On November 18, in a 34–10 road victory over theDallas Cowboys, Barnett sacked quarterbackCooper Rush and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Cowboys offensive linemanTyler Guyton, who then fumbled again after being hit by Texans safetyJalen Pitre. Barnett recovered this second fumble and returned it for a 28-yard touchdown.[74][75] In Week 18 against the Titans, he had a 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown.[76] In the 2024 season, Barnett finished with five sacks, 26 tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns.[77]
On March 10, 2025, Barnett re-signed with the Texans on a one-year, $5 million contract.[78]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2017 | PHI | 15 | 0 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 1 |
| 2018 | PHI | 6 | 6 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | PHI | 14 | 14 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | PHI | 13 | 10 | 34 | 21 | 13 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | PHI | 16 | 15 | 46 | 20 | 26 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | PHI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | PHI | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HOU | 6 | 4 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 | HOU | 16 | 1 | 26 | 15 | 11 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 64 | 2 |
| Career | 95 | 50 | 195 | 122 | 73 | 29.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 87 | 3 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2017 | PHI | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
| 2018 | PHI | 0 | 0 | Did not play due to injury | |||||||||||||
| 2019 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | PHI | 0 | 0 | Did not play due to injury | |||||||||||||
| 2023 | HOU | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | HOU | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 9 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -3 | 0 | |