Former Tennessee Vols standout named one of the most underappreciated players in the NFL

A former Tennessee Vols standout was named this week as one of the most underappreciated players in the NFL. 

NFL.com's Tom Blair named each AFC franchise's most underappreciated player and he went with former Vols defensive lineman Derek Barnett for the Houston Texans. 

Barnett, a first round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017 NFL Draft, was signed the Houston Texans in 2023 after getting waived by Philly. 

From NFL.com: Barnett played just 38% of the Texans' defensive snaps in 2024, easily the lowest in any season in which he suited up for more than one game, while compiling 5.0 sacks, tied for 72nd-most in the NFL. So what is he doing here? Well, scan his Pro Football Reference page a little further, until you see the one bolded number indicating he led the league with two fumble recoveries returned for a touchdown last year. Yes, fumble recoveries are generally luck-driven occurrences. But Barnett also put an undeniable amount of work into those scores. He initiated the first turnover by knocking the ball away from Cooper Rush in Dallas on Monday Night Football, then sprinted 28 yards to the house. And while the second, during the Week 18 finale, was the result of some offensive bumbling by the Titans, Barnett did carry an opposing player on his back into the end zone to finish off that 36-yard run. So much of success in the NFL (and, real talk, in life) is determined by factors outside of one's control. The former Eagles first-round pick, who was waived by Philly less than two years ago, might be long removed from his days as a regular starter, but he put himself in position to score when the ball bounced his way, matching a single-season high for fumble recovery TDs reached by just 35 other players since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. He also made an impact on his team -- and that surely played a part in him landing another deal in Houston this offseason. 

Barnett, who is the Vols' all-time single season sack leader, looked like he was on his way out of the NFL in 2022/2023 after tumbling down the Eagles' depth chart. 

Landing in Houston, however, proved to be the fresh start that the former Vol needed. 

Barnett totaled 2.5 sacks and 19 tackles in six games with the Texans in the second half of the 2023 season. 

Houston re-signed Barnett ahead of the 2024 season. The Tennessee native was solid for the Texans in 2024, totaling 5.0 sack and 26 total tackles in 16 games.