By: Jesse Larch, Sports Talk Philly Staff 
Humble. Tough. Blue-Collar. These three adjectives have been used to describe Derek Barnett and he affirmed all of those descriptions during his introductory press conference on Friday afternoon.
The press conference began with a photo as Barnett smiled and held his new number 96 jersey before taking questions from the media.
Barnett was immediately asked about his upbringing and those three adjectives that have been connected to him were all showed. Barnett detailed how his mother worked three jobs to support him as a child, and that she was always there for him despite spending so much time working.
From a young age, Barnett has understood work ethic, which he believes sets him apart from the more athletic prospects in a loaded defensive class, noting film study and a refined technique.
Barnett was reported as telling the Eagles in his pre-draft interview that he is a football player and not an athlete, instructing the team to watch his tape and not put much stock into his combine performance. The team listened, in part due to an influenza diagnosis prior to the combine.
Despite being sick, Barnett participated anyway, "I knew I wasn't gonna test my best, but I knew it was an important job interview."
Barnett will also embody the city's hard-working personality. "Me being a first round pick, that doesn't mean anything. I have to earn my spot."
In addition to fitting the blue-collar mentality of Philadelphia, he also fits the defensive scheme being used by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. "I think I fit it well and he thinks I fit it too," said Barnett.
The scheme is dependent on quickly getting after the quarterback to force mistakes, and Barnett told Barrett Brooks of CSN Philly following his press conference that "if you take a wasted step, you miss a sack."
Barnett specialized in getting after the quarterback, with 33 sacks over three seasons playing in the highly competitive Southeastern Conference, a half sack more than first overall pick Myles Garrett.
Barnett broke Eagles' legend Reggie White's school sack record at Tennessee, and has drawn comparisons to Baltimore Raven's all-pro pass rusher Terrell Suggs from the national media and Eagles' brass alike. "I take it as a compliment…for me to be compared to those two is really a blessing," said Barnett.
Another big name who Barnett's name will now be attached to is teammate Fletcher Cox, who reached out to his fellow first round pick last night. "Fletcher Cox reached out to me, he told me how he likes his steaks cooked."
When Barnett is not busy cooking steaks for his new teammates, you can expect to find him earning his spot in the film room and on the practice field.
