Although Derek Barnett was largely recognized as one of the best pass rushers in the country during his career at Tennessee, he always seemed to be slightly underrated.

Barnett recorded 32 sacks in his three seasons with the Vols, one more than No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett did in that span, and he the third defensive end taken in the 2017 NFL Draft when the Philadelphia Eagles selected him with the 14th pick.

Since joining the Eagles, Barnett has continued to prove he’s among the best players in this draft class. In the short time that he’s been on the practice field, Barnett has earned strong praise from those he’s competed against the most – Philadelphia’s offensive linemen.

“His lean,” right tackle Lane Johnson said of Barnett’s best attribute after Tuesday’s practice, according to Matt Lombardo of nj.com. “I thought he had the best lean in the draft, he was compared to Myles Garrett. His get off might not be as fast as Garrett’s, but his lean and his bend is probably the best I’ve seen in a while. He’s a great pickup for us.”

Barnett was consistently in the Eagles’ backfield, according to Lombardo’s report, and he has the potential to make a strong push for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

His fellow defensive linemen see the potential that the rookie possesses, and a few veterans are intent on helping him get up to speed quickly so that Barnett can make an impact this fall.

“I want to help him the best I can,” defensive end Brandon Graham said. “Because I remember as a rookie, I had Trent Cole. He made it kind of easy for me and made it a lot better. I’m just trying to pass it along. I feel like a lot of guys are doing that with the new guys that are coming in.”

The Eagles will play their first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Thursday, Aug. 10, giving fans their first chance to see Barnett go against live NFL competition.