...Quinton Coples! Defensive End out of North Carolina.
As mentioned in this article, there were whispers the Jets would take Coples if he was still there at the 16th pick.
[caption id="attachment_594" align="alignright" width="223" caption="Quinton Coples in his uniform at North Carolina. // photo credit unknown."]
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The Jets desperately needed a pass rusher, but this pick is a surprise to most fans, who were expecting Melvin Ingram or Courtney Upshaw. Tape and numbers say Coples' senior year at North Carolina (7.5 sacks) was not as good as his junior year (10 sacks), but he's athletic with long arms. He doesn't have great speed but his length allows him to gain ground. The Jets admit his performance slipped senior year but he redeemed himself at the Senior Bowl. Last season, he did have 55 tackles, 15 for a loss.
There are questions about his work ethic and dedication, but head coach Rex Ryan worked Coples out personally and supposedly really liked him and thought he'd fit in well. Multiple sources have reported Ryan promised to draft Coples if he was still around at the 16th pick. He's also a former teammate of Jets DE Mo Wilkerson, who game him a ringing endorsement.
What's interesting is that the Jets took a long time to make the pick, suggesting that maybe not everyone in the War Room was on board with the decision. All draft picks are something of a risk, but this looks to be a boom or bust pick for the Jets. If Coples works out, he'll be brilliant, but there is the potential for him to be Vernon Gholston redux. Jets fans will just have to wait and see.
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