AUBURN, Ala. – As a second-team All-SEC selection this year, Derrick Brown has proven that he's a force on the football field. But what defines Brown doesn't necessarily show up on the stat sheet. It's his character, his integrity and his leadership that shape who he is.
As a result, Brown was selected as one of three finalists 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 three finalists, announced Monday, 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 very proud to announce these three outstanding young men as the finalists for the second annual Collegiate Man of the Year," Witten said. "Derrick Brown, D'Cota Dixon (Wisconsin) and Dalton Risner (Kansas State) are all outstanding leaders on the field, in the classroom and in the community, and they are shining examples of what being a student-athlete is all about.
"It was incredibly difficult to choose just three from all of the great players nominated. There are so many great representatives for college football, and I commend all of the nominees for the tremendous example of leadership they set on and off the field."
On the field, Brown currently has 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He's been one of the SEC's top defensive lineman the past two seasons, and many project the junior to be a first-round draft pick if he decides to leave school early.
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; he has represented Auburn at the SEC Student-Athlete Leadership Council meetings for football; and he was recently named to the SEC Community Service Team earlier this month. 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.
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award 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