What Coples pick means for DeVito
QUINTON COPLES
Defensive end, North Carolina
Coples is a very intriguing player. At 6-6 and 284 pounds, NFL teams are likely dreaming of the damage Coples can do to an opposing offense. He ran a 4.78 40 at the Combine, so he has the speed to be an effective pass rusher. And his size makes him an imposing run stopper. Coples had 10 sacks in 2010 and followed that with 7.5 sacks in 2011 for North Carolina. Coples, who had a 92 grade at the Combine, could end up being a top 10 pick based on his size and athletic ability.
Credit: AP
The NFL draft signals the start of new and potentially promising careers -- but it also forces the displacement of veterans for one reason or another.
The arrival of Coples -- a 6-6, 284 pound beast -- means the Jets now have a freakishly talented pass rusher (that is, if Rex Ryan & Co. can ensure the defensive end doesn’t take off a down).
And it also means Mike DeVito may be gone.
Coples is expected to compete with DeVito, who is in the final year of his contract. The 6-3, 298-pound DeVito played in 12 games last season, registering 27 tackles, two forced fumbles and one sack.
Coples, a 6-foot-6, 284-pounder from UNC has tremendous potential, but also comes into the league with questions about his work ethic and drive. He totaled 144 tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss and 24 sacks during his time at UNC -- but his sack production dropped from 10 in his junior year to 7.5 in his final season.
The athletic lineman has the prototypical size for a 4-3 defensive end -- meaning he’ll have to get acclimated to the Jets’ 3-4 front. Ryan told reporters Thursday night that he plans to use Coples as their left DE and has no intention of using him at linebacker. Coples, who spent time on the interior for the Tar Heels, will slide inside as a pass rusher on passing downs for the Jets.
General manager Mike Tannenbaum believes the Jets won’t have trouble motivating Coples.
“I wouldn’t say it’s faith. I would say it’s about the culture that we’ve built here,” Tannenbaum said. “Going into the fourth year from the stand point that “Playing like a Jet,” means something and it’s not just one person, be it Rex or (defensive line coach) Karl Dunbar or (defensive coordinator) Mike Pettine. It’s all the players and all of the coaches and the standards that we collectively set for ourselves. We think we’re adding a good player and a good person to our program. It’s not faith on any one thing. Rex is the leader, has set the tone obviously, but it means a lot more than just one person for what we’re trying to build here.”
Ryan said Coples and fellow defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (Coples’ teammate at Hargrave Military Academy) both can “cause production.” But don’t expect Coples to be a double-digit sack machine just.
“It’s about team defense and keeping the opponent off the board,” said Tannenbaum. “I don’t think it’s fair to label Quinton a bad pick if he doesn’t have 10 sacks. He’s going to be an important part of a good defense.”
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