Mayock: Coples has high bust potential

NFL.com news: Quinton Coples has high bust potential, Mike Mayock says

Quinton Coples might be the top-rated defensive end in the 2012 NFL Draft, but NFL Network's Mike Mayock is not impressed with the North Carolina prospect.

Mayock said on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft" on Wednesday, "If I'm a general manager I'm not taking him in the first round, and I might not take him in the second round."

Mayock previewed his top-100 draft prospect list, and while the entire list has yet to be released, Coples was revealed as the No. 50-rated prospect. Other prospects' placement was also announced, such as Boston College LB Luke Kuechly (No. 6) and Alabama safety Mark Barron (No. 9).


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Mayock acknowledged Coples' talent -- he is the top-rated defensive end in Mayock's prospect rankings -- as well as Coples' value in the league as a pass rusher, but there's a huge caveat.

"To me, the bust potential is high, and the earlier you take him the more risk there is inherent in that," Mayock said. "So, for me, Quinton Coples is not even a draftable player."

In mock drafts published on NFL.com in the past week, four experts projected Coples to go as high as No. 7 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and as low as No. 19 to the Chicago Bears.

While the review of Coples was less than flattering, a number of prospects were acknowledged for their recent rise up draft boards.

The report on Kuechly was glowing. "I've had several general managers tell me he's the single cleanest player in the draft," Mayock said. "I think he's the best pure zone-drop pass linebacker I've ever seen on tape."

Huge production in a BCS conference, no off-the-field issues and a lack of medical concerns all help Kuechly's cause, as does his versatility. "What usually knocks linebackers down is their inability to stay on the field for three plays. It's the opposite with Kuechly," Mayock said.

Mayock projects the Boston College product to be drafted anywhere between No. 12 (a pick held by the Seattle Seahawks) and No. 20 (Tennessee Titans). Another player Mayock figures to be in that selection range is Barron, who Mayock projects to go as early as No. 14 to the Dallas Cowboys or No. 20 to the Titans.

While he didn't reveal their positions in his top-100 rankings, Mayock did point out two prospects with rising draft stock: Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones and Boise State outside linebacker Shea McClellin.

"Awareness of how good of a football player (Jones) is is permeating throughout the league right now," Mayock said. "He's stout against the run, and he's scheme-diverse. The 3-4 teams look at him as either a defensive end or an outside linebacker. The 4-3 teams love him as a base end."


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McClellin has recently been lifted into the first-round projections of NFL.com mock drafts. Brian Baldinger has McClellin going No. 28 to the Green Bay Packers, while Albert Breer sees McClellin going No. 31 to the New England Patriots.

"The more tape you watch, the more appreciation you have for this (McClellin) kid. He makes plays in every single game I watch," Mayock said. "I think people are starting to wake up to McClellin. For instance, if you're sitting there at No. 20 and you're the Tennessee Titans, and Quinton Coples is there versus Shea McClellin versus Chandler Jones versus Whitney Mercilus, I wouldn't touch Quinton Coples. I'd look at those other guys first."

Michigan State's Jerel Worthy is Mayock's second-rated defensive tackle and ranks in the top 20 among Mayock's top-100 prospects. Worthy is rated below Mississippi State's Fletcher Cox, but ahead of Memphis' Dontari Poe and LSU's Michael Brockers. Worthy's performance in two key Big Ten games impressed Mayock.

"The first two tapes I watched were Iowa and Wisconsin -- two excellent offensive lines -- I thought he was dominant in both games," Mayock said while also acknowledging that Worthy has mid-first round value.

I have seen him falling down mock drafts and even being mocked to us at 19. 'questionable motor' 'lack of desire' and other unflattering comments certainly get the alarm bells ringing. Ive seen him only briefly and he looks to have all the tools but when a guy gets asked to rate his own effort level last year and gives himself a 'c' you have to start questioning things.... another jamarcus Russell show me the money and i'm off bust? or the premiere pass rusher in the draft?

I dunno, im starting to heed the warning signs now they are coming in thick and fast..

would you take him at 19?

I don't even understand how Coples was rated the #1 DE to begin with. He simply wasn't a dominant or very productive college player, considering his size and speed and hype out of high school. I know people love the physical attributes but look at his college career and it just wasn't that special. I don't like him at all as a 1st rd pick. He's really 2nd rd value.

Nice post Rich!

I think the thing with Coples is that he's got huge potential if he plays for the right team and that's what Matt Bowen was saying about him. In general he's a huge risk because he's so inconsistent but he showed at the Senior Bowl what he's capable of if he can keep his motor tuned to high gear. Bowen thinks that with the Bears he may just get the motivation and coaching he needs to keep his potential tapped.

He won't last just because of that potential but Maycock and BBPB are correct. Some teams won't even put them on their board because of his risk and his inconsistencies. I trust Lovie and Emery to make the right judgement call on him if he does fall as far as #19 but personally I don't think that happens. The risk vs reward guy I think Lovie has a hard on for is Bruce Irvin. If the guy can play at 255-260lbs and still run 4.4 40's he could be a freak pass rusher and we may be able to draft him in the 2nd or even the 3rd round.

With Okoye gone I still think there's some potential the Bears draft a DT like Cox or Worthy in the first round if they rate guys like that as safer picks than the "tweener" DE's. Cox has the potential to play both 3t DT and DE like Okoye did and Worth is more a 3t/NT DT prospect somewhat like Paea but with more size. Don't rule these guys out.

If we got this route then maybe shoot for a guy like Irvin or McClellin as a pass rusher in two or we grab an OG in two if we can see guys like Irvin or may Ty Crawford or Chandler Jones in three. I think taking a LB like Kuechly in one isn't totally out of the picture either. That guy was made to be a Bears LB he's that good a fit.

What's cool is that there are so many different ways we can go in the first three rounds that it's really difficult to predict who we'll take. It's pretty obvious the draft guru's are perplexed too because every other day I see them having us take someone else. I like this unpredictability. It's gonna make it harder to jump us for a guy we like.

Sox made this comment a while back and I believe it's true. No matter what happens before us we'll still have shots at some very good football players with that #19 pick. I still think that with a few exceptions there's better value with less risk from #15-#32 than there is from #1-#15. There's also good depth at a couple of spots we can use the draft to fill.

OG's and big body WR are abundant. There are some good mid round LB prospects and a number of DE's who may not be top pass rush prospects as RDE's but good all around guys for LDE. Younger versions of Izzy who under Marinelli may prove to be better rushers in the pros than they were in college.

I'm gonna trust Emery's judgement this first go round and see just how good a talent scout and poker player he really is. With 3 picks in the top 100 and another at #111 he has a chance to put some really good ball players on this team. A couple of guys who can step in and start this year or be solid rotation guys and another couple of good backups to develop hopefully one of them being a LT.

I'm more stoked about this draft than I have been for awhile because there are so many good players to look at and we seem to be the "mystery boys" of the league right now. Emery is an unknown quantity and no one seems to be bale to predict him right now.

Cheers bud, yes, I agree, I'm getting pretty hyped abou thte draft. I love that we wont have to reach for someone and have options. I think if cox fell we may well take him. I'm just not sure there is the value at DE at 19. Mercilus is intriguing but the like of cox are safer like you say. I'd love Kuechly too. totally agree on him, he just looks like he was born to be a Bear!

roll on the draft!

Soul, you seem to be wavering on your stance a little! Whatever happened to the notion of drafting a DE at all cost? I figure that we can draft someone like Nigel Bradham in the third round, though I believe his value comes below where we will be slotted, which is at #79. We don't need a superstar MLB just yet; Bradham could play LOLB and be a solid contributor even though he was a MLB at Florida State. MLB is something that I look at addressing in the 2013 draft, particularly if we wig out this year and don't win as many games as we should.

Our second wide out can come in the third round too. Here's a name for you to digest: Juron Criner, WR out of the University of Arizona. He's 6'4", 215 lbs, and has had two solid seasons at the position, including the 2010 season, when he had over 1,200+ yards receiving.