Will, not skill, raising doubt about Coples
DE physically gifted, but some question his drive
For all of the positive attributes North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples brings to the table, it’s a singular criticism that ultimately could decide where he falls in the NFL draft that begins April 26.
Coples, at 6-6 and 284 pounds, has drawn physical comparisons to a former Tar Heels defensive end who went on to a stellar pro career: Julius Peppers, now with the Chicago Bears. Quick, strong and freakishly athletic are a few of the terms that describe both.
Coples had 10 sacks and 15½ tackles for losses in 2010 while playing tackle on the left side of the defensive line, dominating opposing linemen and disrupting offenses.
In 2011 he was switched to right defensive end and faced left tackles, usually the most elite offensive linemen. Coples’ numbers dropped off as he finished with 7½ sacks and 15 tackles for losses.
Along the way, Coples, generally considered a top-10 prospect, picked up a reputation as a guy who didn’t go as hard as he could on every play. It’s a distinction that’s hard to shake. “Athletically, he’s gifted,” said Bucky Brooks, an NFL Network analyst and a former Tar Heels and NFL player. “Watching him at his pro day, you see those gifts in terms of how he moves, changes direction, balance and body control. Physically he has it all.
“The one thing no one can really get a good feel for is, is he going to be wired to play at a high level all the time? He says yes. But based on his tape from his senior year, it’s really hard to say he’s going to be a dominant player at the next level.”
Coples says the drop-off had more to do with his position change than anything else, and at the scouting combine in February he said his long strides could make it appear as if he’s not running hard. He didn’t want to address questions about his reputation for taking plays off.
“I just go out and play the game of football and try to be the best player I can be,” he said by phone recently.
Coples says his switch to the right side of the defensive line in 2011, despite the difficulties, worked in his favor.
“It was a big difference, due to the fact that I had never played on the right side and I had put a lot of emphasis and training on the left side,” he said. “But it turned out well and helped me understand a little more about the game and (helped my) maturity and also creates versatility in my game.”
At the combine, Coples showed off his physical skills, running 40 yards in 4.67 seconds and bench-pressing 225 pounds 25 times.
While Coples remains a likely top 15 pick, he says he doesn’t care which team drafts him.
“I try to be No. 1, but at the end of the day I feel blessed and fortunate just to be in this situation,” he said. “I’m prepared for any type of weather team, any type of defensive team.”
Brooks says he sees Coples going as early as eighth to the Miami Dolphins or ninth to the Carolina Panthers but thinks he could drop to 16th, where the New York Jets could grab him. Other draft experts have the Seattle Seahawks taking him at No. 12.
Brooks says the best scenario for Coples, though unlikely, would be dropping to the Bears at No. 19. “I think he’d be perfect for Chicago, because he’d get the opportunity to play opposite Julius Peppers, which would give him a bunch of isolated matchups,” Brooks said.
“He would also play under Lovie Smith and, more importantly, (defensive coordinator) Rod Marinelli. He’s been known to get great performances out of guys because he’s a high-motor, revved-up coach who demands it out of people.
“If Quinton gets in an environment where there is a good position coach who holds him accountable for his efforts, he will be possibly a guy who can be a Pro Bowl player. If he doesn’t, I think he’ll be a good player but not a great player as a pro.”