Myles Garrett has taken the SEC by storm. The true freshman has already surpassed Jadeveon Clowney’s freshman single-season sack total with 10.5 through nine games. Garrett is a star in the making, but he’s not the only first-year pass rusher to challenge Clowney’s freshman output.

Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett has also enjoyed a stellar first season. Barnett has seven sacks and is coming off a three-sack performance against South Carolina, his second of the season. The former Brentwood Academy (Nashville, Tenn.) standout also leads the Vols with 14 tackles for loss.

Tennessee opened its season with zero returning starters, allowing the former four-star prospect to become the first true freshman in school history to top the Week 1 depth chart at defensive end. Barnett has seen his highest totals in SEC games, after recording his first career sack in Week 6 against Florida.

Like Garrett, who had 7.5 before adding three more in Saturday’s win over Louisiana-Monroe, Barnett enters his next game within one sack of Clowney’s 2011 total of eight. Though he’s received less attention than the Aggies star, Barnett’s sudden surge is just as impressive.

Despite being the team’s only true freshman starter, Barnett seems like the most experienced player on Tennessee’s defensive line. He’s surpassed his fellow lineman in terms of production and is putting up veteran numbers.

The Vols defensive turnaround has been credited to star linebacker A.J. Johnson, who leads the SEC with 96 tackles. However, Barnett has also played a major role in Tennessee’s success. On Saturday, the freshman’s final sack helped knock South Carolina out of field goal range in overtime, handing the Vols a 45-42 victory.

Barnett has been a force in the SEC during his first season. Its hard to compare the two players without seeing them face one another, but Barnett is an arguable candidate to challenge Myles Garrett as the SEC’s top freshman pass rusher.