Meet Derrick Brown, the Newest 5-Star in 247Sports' 2016 Rankings
Derrick Brown has seen his stock rise quite a bit over the last five months, and now it's bumped him up to 5-star status.
The defensive tackle from Georgia became the newest addition to 247Sports' top tier of recruits in the 2016 class, jumping up to No. 22 overall after the site updated its composite rankings on Monday. He had previously been ranked 33rd and as recently as September was 84th.
Brown, who is listed at 6'4" and 309 pounds, is the fifth-best defensive tackle and the No. 3 recruit in Georgia, per 247. Last season as a junior, he had 101 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks for Lanier High School in Sugar Hill, Georgia, according to Max Preps.
He also returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown in a game against Gainesville, Lanier coach Korey Mobbs told Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"He ran away from three or four skill players," Mobbs said. "That's when we knew he was special. He's basically a 300-pounder who moves like he's 200 pounds."
Brown has more than 30 scholarship offers, including Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida Georgia and Georgia Tech. He was scheduled to make an unofficial visit to Alabama, per Tyler Donohue of Bleacher Report.
"Both of Brown's parents attended Mississippi State, and the Bulldogs have made his top 10 list of favorite colleges, along with Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, South Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Tennessee," Carvell wrote. "He plans to reach a college decision after taking all five official visits next year."
Early predictions have him becoming a Bulldog, as 247's Crystal Ball lists Georgia at 100 percent based on 11 expert picks. According to 247Sports, the Bulldogs already have commitments from two other 5-star prospects in the 2016 class: quarterback Jacob Eason (No. 4) and offensive tackle Ben Cleveland (No. 19).
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
