AUBURN, Ala. – Derrick Brown might only be a junior, but he has served as one of the team leaders on and off the field since he first arrived at Auburn in 2016.
As a result, Brown was recognized Thursday as a semifinalist for the second annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player's leadership. The 20 semifinalists chosen have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.
The award itself is named after former college and NFL tight end Jason Witten.
"I am honored to announce this impressive group as the semifinalists for the second annual Collegiate Man of the Year," Witten said. "These 20 men have demonstrated exceptional character and leadership, often while overcoming large challenges. They are great representatives for the game of football, and I commend all nominees for getting to this point."
Brown, who is one of only three juniors on the list, has proven to be one of the top defensive lineman in the nation over the last two seasons. This year, he's compiled 37 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
But Brown has also been an incredible leader off the field as well. The Georgia native is a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and has represented Auburn at the SEC Student-Athlete Leadership Council meetings for football. He serves as the vice president for Auburn SAAC and has done Christian-based mission work in the Dominican Republic and also spent time building homes locally with his church.
Other community projects that Brown has been heavily involved in include Angel Trees, Toys for Tots, campus Student-Athlete Day, Beat Bama food drive, Halloween Trunk or Treat and the SAAC clothing drive.
Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, Dec. 10. The winner will then be announced at an award ceremony on Feb. 12, 2019, in Frisco Texas, and that person will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school's athletic scholarship fund.
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @greg_ostendorf