Videos of Top DE Prospects

[Flugel]

Here's a Walter's writeup for 2012 DE Draft prospects in their order of projection and some videos I found for each:

Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
Height: 6-6. Weight: 285.
Projected 40 Time: 4.71.
Projected Round (2012): Top 10 Pick.
12/21/11: Thus far in 2011, Coples has totaled 51 tackles with 13 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a plethora of quarterback hurries. He has faced consistent double teams, but steadily pressured the quarterback. Coples has been strong against the run all season and played with a steady motor. Against Clemson, one of his better opponents, he played well. Coples had a sack-fumble against quarterback Tajh Boyd on a speed rush versus the left tackle. Coples had another sack on a bull rush through a guard, but a facemask penalty by a teammate canceled out the play.

The senior also had quality games against Miami, Duke, Virginia Tech and James Madison. NFL coaches will love Coples versatility. He rushes well from defensive tackle and also plays well as a five technique in 3-4 sets. Coples has had a quality season and still looks like the top defensive line prospect for the 2012 draft.

8/21/11: Quinton Coples took advantage of the season-long suspension of Robert Quinn in 2010. After producing five sacks as a red-shirt freshman in 2009, Coples doubled his sack total last season. He also contributed 15.5 tackles for a loss, 59 tackles and two forced fumbles. Coples has a phenomenal skill set for the NFL. If Coples can come close to that level of production, he should be a top-five pick.

You Tube

Whitney Mercilus*, DE, Illinois
Height: 6-4. Weight: 265.
Projected 40 Time: 4.65.
Projected Round (2012): 1.
12/21/11: A typical game from Mercilus in 2011 has featured a sack and a forced fumble. He leads the nation in sacks and forced fumbles. Thus far, the junior has 52 tackles with 19.5 tackles for a loss, 14.5 sacks and nine forced fumbles entering the Fight Hunger Bowl against UCLA.

Mercilus has shown no mercy this season to offensive tackles and quarterbacks. All year long, he has been beating tackles with a combination of speed, strength and athleticism. He had a good game against Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams and Wisconsin's future NFL linemen.

Mercilus is extremely fast and gets upfield in a hurry. His speed puts offensive tackles on their heels, and he has the athleticism to drop his hips and shoulder to turn towards the quarterback. Mercilus' strength can take linemen by surprise, and he has a powerful bull rush. In run defense, Mercilus anchors and holds his ground well. He needs to work on shedding blocks in order to be able to make more tackles in the ground game.

You Tube

Brandon Jenkins*, DE/OLB, Florida State
Height: 6-3. Weight: 265.
Projected 40 Time: 4.67.
Projected Round (2012): 1.
12/21/11: Jenkins started out the season quiet, but he has heated up in the second half. Jenkins has drawn extra blocking attention, especially in the early games, but he has still gotten pressure on the quarterback when not recording sacks. The extra blockers sent towards Jenkins helped teammate Bjoern Werner break out in 2011. For the season, Jenkins has 39 tackles with 11 tackles for a loss and seven sacks.

The junior was relatively quiet versus Oklahoma with five tackles and not a much pressure on the signal caller. Against Clemson, he had a better performance. Jenkins recorded three tackles with a sack against the Tigers, and got pressure on the quarterback on a number of other plays. He is an excellent athlete who could fit well in a 3-4 defense as an edge rusher. The biggest negative about Jenkins is that he could be more physical at times.

8/21/11: Brandon Jenkins had a breakout season last year. As a first-year starter at right end, he led FSU in sacks as the Seminoles led the nation in sacks in 2010. Jenkins notched 13.5 sacks with 21.5 tackles for a loss. He had five multi-sack games and was voted the team's MVP. Jenkins is a good athlete with speed and explosion around the edge. Jenkins has the potential to fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

My apologies for the Eminem Shakespeare playing DJ for the highlights here. Turn the volume down or mute it.

You Tube

Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
Height: 6-4. Weight: 276.
Projected 40 Time: 4.75.
Projected Round (2012): 1-2.
12/21/11: Ingram started the season extremely strongly. He was slowed down with injuries in the middle portion of the year, but finished well. Thus far in 2011, he has 44 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, two interceptions and two passes batted away. In the first game of the season, Ingram recorded an interception against East Carolina. Against Georgia, he ran a fake punt 68 yards for a touchdown and returned a fumble five yards for another touchdown. Ingram also recovered a fumble for a touchdown against Vanderbilt.

The redshirt senior is a special athlete. He is very quick for his size, and beats offensive linemen with a combination of speed and physicality. South Carolina uses Ingram as a defensive tackle at times, and he rushes very well against guards. In the lead up to the draft it wouldn't be surprising to see Ingram rise into the middle of the first round.

8/21/11: Melvin Ingram has excellent size and is strong at the point of attack. Last year, he led South Carolina in sacks with nine, more than teammate Devin Taylor, even though Ingram did not log as much playing time. He also had 11 tackles for a loss, 28 tackles and one forced fumble. Ingram was third in the SEC in sacks, yet he doesn't get much national attention. On passing downs, Ingram can move inside and rush from the defensive tackle position. Entering this season, he is the starter opposite Taylor. On passing downs when Taylor moves inside that will allow South Carolina to get No. 1 recruit Jadeveon Clowney on the field. If Ingram's production stays consistent, he should at the very least be a second-round pick.

You Tube

You Tube

Nick Perry*, DE/OLB, USC
Height: 6-3. Weight: 250.
Projected 40 Time: 4.57.
Projected Round (2012): 1-2.
12/21/11: Perry really improved his performance from 2010. He finished the season on on a tear with 5.5 sacks in four games. Perry battled well against Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin even though he didn't have a sack in the game. As the season wore on, Perry simply got better. He is lightning off the snap and his speed to turn the corner and cut back to the inside overwhelms offensive tackles. Perry has a good repertoire of moves, and the only thing lacking from his game is more bulk and strength.

The redshirt junior totaled 54 tackles with 9.5 sacks, 13 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles and two passes batted in 2011. If Perry had decided to return for his senior season and continued to improve under Monte Kiffin before going pro, he could have been a high first-round pick in 2013.

8/21/11: Nick Perry broke out with eight sacks as a freshman. Last year, his numbers dipped to four sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss. At his current size and weight, he would probably be better served as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin flipped Perry from right to left defensive end last year. If he stays at end as a professional, he should add some more bulk. Perry needs to improve his production in 2011 to get his draft status going in the right direction.

You Tube

Vinny Curry, DE/OLB, Marshall
Height: 6-5. Weight: 263.
Projected 40 Time: 4.66.
Projected Round (2012): 1-2.
12/21/11: Thus far in 2011, Curry has 72 tackles, 21 tackles for a loss, 11 sacks, three blocked kicks and six forced fumbles. He had a three sack game against Southern Mississippi. Curry has added weight from the 2010 season, roughly 10 pounds, and he still looks fast and explosive. Curry has had to battle consistent extra blocking this year. Right now, his consistency from 2010 to 2011 has his stock moving up. He looks like an ideal fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

8/21/11: Vinny Curry is an explosive athlete who had a dominant junior season. He was one of the best pass rushers in college football last year with 12 sacks. Curry also had 18 tackles for a loss and 94 tackles. At his size and weight, he should translate well as an edge rusher in a 3-4 defense. Curry is very fast with fabulous closing speed. He plays better in space. However, Curry does not have the size and strength to hold up against offensive linemen when lining up with his hand in the ground as a base end. Some teams were able to run right at him. He typically uses his speed to run around offensive linemen, and that opens up his gap on run downs. Thus, Curry would be a much better fit for a 3-4 defense.

You Tube

Andre Branch, DE, Clemson
Height: 6-5. Weight: 260.
Projected 40 Time: 4.73.
Projected Round (2012): 2.
12/21/11: Branch has had a strong senior season. Thus far in 2011, he has 73 tackles with 16 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Branch played well against Auburn in the third game of the year. He didn't fare well against Florida State left tackle Andrew Datko.

After that performance, Branch exploded against Virginia Tech with 11 tackles, six tackles for a loss and four sacks. He is a very good athlete who has excellent straight-line speed. Branch is very quick and agile, plus closes in an instant. He should fair well at the combine and in pre-draft workouts. That could send his stock on the rise.

8/21/11: Andre Branch is expected to step up his production with Da'Quan Bowers leaving for the NFL. Last year, Branch had five sacks with 8.5 tackles for a loss, 54 tackles and six passes broken up. Branch has the physical tools to excel, now he just needs to raise his level of play as a senior.

You Tube

Shea McClellin, DE, Boise State
Height: 6-3. Weight: 262.
Projected 40 Time: 4.77.
Projected Round (2012): 2-3.
12/21/11: McClellin has improved his draft stock with a quality season. He has so far recorded 46 tackles, six sacks, 12.5 tackles for a loss and a blocked kick. Aside from playing as a traditional defensive end, McClellin has lined up as both a stand-up rush linebacker and an inside linebacker.

Playing all over the front seven has taken McClellin out of some pass rushing situations, which has hurt his production this season. That versatility makes him a good fit for the 3-4 in the NFL. Against a future NFL offensive lineman, Georgia's Cordy Glenn, McClellin was phenomenal. He is quick, strong, and features a relentless motor. McClellin could make a move up draft boards this season.

8/21/11: Shea McClellin broke into the starting lineup early in his sophomore season and had 36 tackles with six tackles for a loss and thee sacks. Last year, he made a big improvement. McClellin led Boise State with 9.5 sacks. He also contributed 13.5 tackles for a loss. McClellin had one of his best games against one of Boise's best opponents, Virginia Tech. In that contest, he recorded 2.5 sacks, four tackles for a loss, and six tackles. McClellin has a good motor and is a hard worker.

You Tube

Here's a video collage of DEs hoping to play sheriff to guys like Vick, Tebow, Newton and #7:

You Tube

[Riffer X]

Great stuff again Flugsmaster Flugey Flugs, love it.

You know I am big on Mercilus already, but the assessment on your boy Ingram is excellent, and as you said, he can play the run well enough to actually attack the guard positions from time to time. This is not a Robert Quinn ole and remove from the run game type of guy, and much like our boy Watt last year, seems to be pretty versatile and stout against the run--yet still gets to the QB.

BTW, word from the St. Louis camp is they know longer want to play the Browns while Joe Thomas is there. Apparently, Fisher doesn't like whiffle ball. Watching Quinn go against Thomas reminds him of the backyard sport too much, where JT is the bat and Quinn is the ball. Quinn is either outside and high or getting swatted hard and fast-- a long ways.

[YtownBacker]

Mercilus is my favorite but I don't think he slots well for us. He's not an elite top 4 guy and he won't be around at #22. Love the guy though.

I would love to be able to get Nick Perry at #22. He would be great opposite Sheard. Andre Branch is also a guy I like very much.

That said, I hope we address some of our offensive needs in FA so we can look at a few of these guys.

[nmills]

I'd take Branch over all of'em, and he's probably available in the second round.

[Alo]

Courtney Upshaw's a guy I'd target at #22 -- a LaMarr Woodley type who's versatile enough to play end or linebacker.

You Tube

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Alo

Courtney Upshaw's a guy I'd target at #22 -- a LaMarr Woodley type who's versatile enough to play end or linebacker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2NGJD_naF0

Much appreciated Alo! He's been an absolute beast every time I've seen him play. Walter must have him grouped with the outside LBers. When I didn't see him I was thinking he must not be in this upcoming draft class. He actually reminds me a lot of James Harrison, who's very tough to block when he puts a hand on the ground like a DE. That's great news he's in this draft. It's even better news he could be on our doorstep when we pick for a 2nd time in round 1.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Riffer X

You know I am big on Mercilus already, but the assessment on your boy Ingram is excellent, and as you said, he can play the run well enough to actually attack the guard positions from time to time. This is not a Robert Quinn ole and remove from the run game type of guy, and much like our boy Watt last year, seems to be pretty versatile and stout against the run--yet still gets to the QB.

Good points. JJ Watt was a post season game changer last week. Mike Mayock who covered his last 2 games sounded like owner and CEO of the JJ Watt fan club on both occasions. Ironically, Quinn might have been better suited for a 3-4 OLBer position the Texans were moving Super Mario to. He still may end up a complete player - I just didn't see it being as immediate as where our first pick was. Keep in mind, when a defense sucks vrs the run - who in the devil's blazes wants to throw on us? The same applied to St Louis and Beanie Wells looked like he ran a half marathon vrs them with the football.

Because I'm NOT a draft guru, I just want to point out I cut and pasted Walter's scouting report for each prospect. I just found the videos for each guy and added them to the report. Walter's football site is a good place place for us fans to learn more about what is out there.

Alo has always been second to none at finding promising prospects and treating us to their videos and his scouting reports. He actually puts together a lot of the youtube videos for various prospects.

My favorite guy in this thread is the one he added Upshaw. If I wasn't such a knucklehead I would have gone into the OLBers and found him instead of concluding the kid must not be in this draft.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by YtownBacker

Mercilus is my favorite but I don't think he slots well for us. He's not an elite top 4 guy and he won't be around at #22. Love the guy though.

I would love to be able to get Nick Perry at #22. He would be great opposite Sheard. Andre Branch is also a guy I like very much.

That said, I hope we address some of our offensive needs in FA so we can look at a few of these guys.

Nicely put Ytown! SF has 2 game changers at their DE positions today, which funnels everything inside to a stud like Patrick Willis. It's working folks!

Originally Posted by nmills

I'd take Branch over all of'em, and he's probably available in the second round.

That would be a REAL nice option for us in round 2 Mills.

[Flugel]

Anyone watching JJ Watt dominate the line of scrimmage today? He's got 1 sack lining up over the OG and another sack lining up over the tackle. He's missed other sacks that chase Bottaflacco into another defender that sacked him. Houston has actually deployed countless plays where there's 4 men in a 3 point stance up front. That's a REALLY good front 7 Houston has. Just imagine if Jacoby Jones didn't fumble the ball away to baltimore at the 3 yard line.

Regarding us, Jabal Sheard impressed me this year. If we can clamp down the other side and upgrade at least 1 OLBer position - we'll be competing better defensively.

[YtownBacker]

As far as LB, I could live with Jackson being switched to WSLB and Gocong to his natural SSLB position of we get a stud ILB. Or, leave Jackson and get a beast for WSLB. As much as people like to hype Jackson based on his stats, we did have the 30 ranked defense against the run and Jackson's inability to get off blocks and is getting caught up in traffic are contributors to the problem.

I don't like being so light in the pants at LB. We certainly could use a presence like Willis at LB.

[Browns]

I DONT want to hear Defense at all until atleast the 3rd round!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You can pick up a linebacker via free agency!!

[Legacy Fan]

Watching these DEs for the 49ers and giants has me wanting Courtney upshaw now more than ever.