CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- New Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown likely would have been holding court at a table with a group of walk-ons if you strolled into the Auburn dining hall last fall. Not fellow football stars -- just those hoping to get a scholarship and soaking up everything the defensive tackle had to say.
He likely would have been hanging out in the equipment room with the student managers or in the recruiting office, away from the coaches and teammates, if you walked into the football facility.
It would be like watching a presidential candidate on the campaign trail, meeting everybody in the building.