What Did YOU Think of Bruce Irvin at #15?

[bigbluedefense]

Originally Posted by SenorGato

Wow you sleep on Coples. I get that he's more complete/we rounded than those guys so no one calls him a pure pass rusher, but of the guys who can rush the passer he's probably the most talented of them all. He also happens to be the biggest, most productive, and most well rounded of the bunch.

I loved the Coples pick on draft night and the further away we are from the draft the more I like it. I consider it a gift from Pete Carroll to the Jets, making up for Mark Sanchez.

I like all those guys some, and I think Mercilus ended up with a coach who will really play him to his strengths. Jokes might be alright with Wilfork doing HOF level grunt work for him. Curry is easy to like and root for, and Branch has talents.

I think the Seahawks will fine with Irvin. They have a player like him already and have showed they know how to use that player. I can live with that turning out fine since the Jets got who they wanted. I don't see him as Ware 2.0 or anything, though he could be heck for passers.

Give me a choice of all of last years DEs and I take Coples first ten out of ten times.

I wasn't a big Coples fan to be honest. I liked his size, but he really turned me off with his senior season tape. And I don't think he's all that fast. It's also a curious fit for the Jets 3-4 defense, his best fit is as a pass rusher inside on a 4 man line, like how Tuck lines up inside on 3rd down.

But as a base 3-4 DE, I think he's a little light, and he's not a dominant edge guy either.

I thought Mercilus or Branch would have been perfect for the Jets.

[SenorGato]

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

I wasn't a big Coples fan to be honest. I liked his size, but he really turned me off with his senior season tape. And I don't think he's all that fast. It's also a curious fit for the Jets 3-4 defense, his best fit is as a pass rusher inside on a 4 man line, like how Tuck lines up inside on 3rd down.

But as a base 3-4 DE, I think he's a little light, and he's not a dominant edge guy either.

I thought Mercilus or Branch would have been perfect for the Jets.

Few things about Coples:

- Did everything they asked him to at UNC. Sure, he admittedly gave a C effort as a senior, but I'd rather he admit it and make it known than keep it secret (therefore being a dick about it).
- The program there cleeeeeearly has some white collar problems that have nothing to do with the players, but CAN (my guess: did) have a negative impact on the individual player and his reputation.
- Played DT very well as a junior, and stood up to double teams both as a DT and as a DE. Created lots of pressure and plays anyway on teh tapes.
- You were just talking about projection...Has the body and length to play at a legit 295-300 without killing the athleticism. That's fine in a 3-4, and both Shaun Ellis and Trevor Pryce have had tons of success as 3-4 DEs who might seem light but aren't. Better length and size potential than both of them as well tbh...
- He moves very well for a guy who can play DT or DE.
- He'll see plenty of time as a DE on a 4 man line, as a DT on a 4 man line, and as a 3-4 DE.
- I don't even think his senior tape is *that* bad. The guy didn't even lose 3 sacks (picked up 10 as a DT!) despite moving positions, losing his coach, and generally playing for a program that was going crazy over the past year.
- Still was the most productive pass rusher of all these guys but Curry (who played in the MAC) in college, and can best pretty much all of them in physical tools.
- KILLED it at the Senior Bowl. Plenty of glowing reports on him, and he gave all the right people trouble that week (Glenn famously, Schwartz I'm sure).

I was stunned at how underrated he started getting to be once Mayock went on his little rant, and once Barron came off the board he was my ideal pick for the Jets. I think 15 teams f'd up. Guys like him don't get out of the top 10, let alone top 15, and he happens to go to one of the best defensive coaching staffs in the league (in a year we'll be saying the best).

I'm not even trying to be a homer about Coples but I legitimately believe all this stuff. I just don't get what's not to like once you apply the context to him as a prospect. He's really the only one of those guys with star potential, and he's with the franchise to help make it happen.

[SenorGato]

I made the Tuck comparison at one point as well (funny enough they have the same sack total in college)...Difference being he's taller, longer, healthier, a better athlete in college, and going to play for Rex Ryan.

I've always thought that if Tuck got with the right coaching staff and didn't wreck his shoulder he'd be an interesting guy to throw onto a 3-4 DL. With his physical issues not so much anymore, but the way he put on weight in the pros definitely had me thinking. He had the skills for it, he just didn't have to use his skills in that kind of D. The Jets, like most 3-4 teams, don't even two gap as much as it's commonly thought 3-4 teams 2 gap (hell, the Pats were famous for it and starting hybridizing their D almost a decade ago).

I half expect him to be this year's Aldon Smith, the rookie who will pile up sacks in a D that can afford to give him that role. Sure they'll do it from different positions, but the comparison is mostly in potential impact through a role (pass rusher) rather than position.