By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
If you want to know who Eagles first-round pick Derek Barnett is, look no further than his own words, penned for The Players' Tribune in a feature titled "NFL Cover Letter."
Written in an open letter format to NFL GMs and coaches, Barnett describes himself as a player and a person and shows his true character, something that was clearly important to the Eagles in making this selection.
Barnett opens by stating that most analysts on television are going to say that he is "the kid who broke Reggie White's all-time sack record at Tennessee," which they did, but goes on to talk about how that was never a goal of his entering college.
"That's something I did, and it's something I'm very proud of," Barnett writes. "But one ting I want to make clear is that breaking that record was never a goal of mine. It wasn't what motivated me or what I had set out to accomplish before I enrolled at Tennessee. Instead, it was a by-product.
"It was the by-product of countless hours spent studying offensive linemen. It was the by-product of coaches taking the time to help me develop my physical gifts. And it was the by-product of my teammates doing their job very well so that I could do mine.
"Achieving that sack record definitely meant a lot to me, but I would have traded it away in a heartbeat to have won a championship while I was in college."
Bottom line: this kid wants to win. He wanted to win in college over the individual accolades. He wants to win a Super Bowl.
When Barnett met with the media on Thursday night, he noted that he was excited to be so close to NovaCare Complex so he could get right to work. His work ethic may be second-to-none of anyone in this Draft. He's dedicated to personal success that helps his team achieve the ultimate success.
Barnett goes on to mention in his letter that his mother is the inspiration for such a strong work ethic. In the letter, he called her the person who "really taught me what it means to give everything to your profession."
Barnett's mother worked three jobs at once, something Barnett considers a sacrifice to put him in the position he is today.
Work ethic, determination, mental toughness — all of these are what Barnett is made of and built on. Much like the Eagles first-round pick a year ago, this is an ongoing student of the game, willing to learn, willing to do the hard work and put forth the extra time to get better.
If you need any proof of that, Barnett says it's already there.
"I'm proud of the fact that I'm not a player who suddenly burst on the scene late in my college career," Barnett writes. ""Since I arrived at Tennessee, I've produced consistently every single year. But that doesn't mean I'm the same player I was as a freshman. Not even close."
Barnett cites Tennessee assistant head coach and defensive line coach Steve Stripling, who used practice to focus on the fine details of the game and instilled an urgency for preparation that Barnett believes has him ready for the next challenge and stage.
Whether the Eagles got a great, game-changing player out of the first round remains to be seen. It does with all 32 players taken on Thursday. But if judging on character is a way to at least determine the level of potential in a player, Barnett has a lot of it for sure.
In his letter, he wrote he's not scared of the challenge and just scratching the surface on his potential. If that's the case, the Eagles defense is in good hands.
