In our annual 32 picks in 32 days CSNPhilly.com mock draft, we select one player each day until the start of the NFL draft on April 26.
15. Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina, 6-5285
The NFL is a copy cat league. You hear it all the time and its true. And if you are going to copy, you should copy the teams that win. In the NFC East, it is the New York Giants. They are the only team in the division to win a Super Bowl in the last 16 years.
What has been the key to the Giants success? Clutch play by quarterback Eli Manning, certainly. But, really, it has been the play of the defense which held Tom Brady and the New England offense to 17 and 14 points respectively in two Super Bowl victories.
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If you look at the Giants' defense, the linebackers and secondary are average. It is the line that makes it work; specifically, the ability of the line to get heat on the quarterback with four-man pressure. Not a lot of trickery or blitzing, just the four horses up front putting a heavy rush on the passer.
The Giants built that line through the draft, investing high picks in players like Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka and Michael Strahan. Even when it appeared they had a surplus of linemen, theyd draft another and then another
Thats why Im taking Quinton Coples (COE-pulls) for the Eagles. Id be surprised if the first round played out this way and Coples was still available at 15I feel he is too good to last that longbut thats how the picks fell in our mock draft so Ill go with that. (The Eagles should be so lucky when the real draft is held April 26).
My choice came down to Coples and Alabama linebacker Donta Hightower and while I like Hightower, he projects better in a 3-4 defense. Coples is versatile enough to fit in just about any defense.
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Coples has drawn comparisons to another North Carolina lineman, Julius Peppers, who was drafted second overall by Carolina in 2002. They are almost the same size (Peppers is an inch or so taller) and they have a similar combination of power and speed. Peppers had a higher draft grade because he was more consistent. The knock on Coples is he can be hot or cold. More on that later.
The Eagles have 13 defensive linemen on the roster. In terms of bodies, it would not appear to be an area of need. But this is a quality over quantity call. If you can add a blue-chip D-linemanand Coples is among the bluest of this years classyou do it. Thats what the Giants have done and look where they are.
Coples played both tackle and end for the Tar Heels and he could play both for the Eagles. Just a shade below 6-6 and 285 pounds, Coples could play the same role for the Eagles that Tuck plays for the Giants. He could play end in the base defense (replacing Jason Babin who isnt much of a run defender) and move to tackle in passing situations.
The Eagles front four would look like this: On first down, it would be Coples at left end, Cullen Jenkins at left tackle, Mike Patterson at right tackle and Trent Cole at right end. In passing situations, Babin would come in at left end, Jenkins would stay on the field with Coples sliding into the tackle spot next to him and Cole at right end. Brandon Graham, if healthy, could rotate in various nickel roles.
On paper at least that looks like a pretty formidable pass rush.
Coples has outstanding tools, thats why I doubt he will fall to 15 in the actual draft. He has the strength to play inside, but the quickness to play outside. He had 10 sacks as a tackle two years ago. He had fewer sacks (7.5) last season at end, but he led the Tar Heels in tackles behind the line (15) and forced fumbles (three).
The only concern on Coples is his effort. He sometimes appears lackadaisical. He is so gifted physically that he seems to take things for granted. Is it laziness or immaturity? Maybe a little of both. That is something the scouts will have to weigh on draft night.
But if I were the Eagles, I would trust line coach Jim Washburn to be the kind of tough-love motivator that would get the best out of a talented kid like Coples. Washburn was able to get Albert Haynesworth to play at an All-Pro level in Tennessee. If he can do that, he can do just about anything.
E-mail Ray Didinger at viewfromthehall@comcast.net