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Three defensive linemen, one cornerback on another level during practice week
The practice week has come to a close at the Senior Bowl, and while plenty of prospects stood out for one reason or another, four players clearly separated themselves as the elite talents in Mobile, Ala.
Here's a look at what makes those four top-end talents and where they might fit in the NFL.
North Carolina DE Quinton Coples (Scouts Inc. grade: 95)
Coples (6-foot-5¾, 281 pounds) did not have his best season in 2011, failing to play with the consistent aggressiveness we saw on his junior tape from 2010. That's not to say he was dogging it, just that his motor wasn't running in its highest gear at all times. That has raised some concerns about the work ethic he'll show at the next level, but if a team can get him to work hard, Coples can be an elite difference-maker along the defensive front.
He's a versatile lineman who can be disruptive as an interior pass-rusher. Although Coples doesn't have elite top-end speed, he showed the ability this week to set up offensive tackles with his hands, using his initial quickness to get into power moves and flashing quickness and fluidity on both inside and outside pass-rush moves.
Coples also has the long arms and upper-body strength to be effective against the run, and he's one of the top three or four natural talents in this year's class. Depending on how things shake out with the top quarterbacks on the board, Coples likely won't last long past the Cleveland Browns at No. 4 or the Washington Commanders at No. 6, where he would find his best fit as a 4-3 defensive end.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draf...fenders-proved-their-elite-status-senior-bowl
The practice week has come to a close at the Senior Bowl, and while plenty of prospects stood out for one reason or another, four players clearly separated themselves as the elite talents in Mobile, Ala.
Here's a look at what makes those four top-end talents and where they might fit in the NFL.
North Carolina DE Quinton Coples (Scouts Inc. grade: 95)
Coples (6-foot-5¾, 281 pounds) did not have his best season in 2011, failing to play with the consistent aggressiveness we saw on his junior tape from 2010. That's not to say he was dogging it, just that his motor wasn't running in its highest gear at all times. That has raised some concerns about the work ethic he'll show at the next level, but if a team can get him to work hard, Coples can be an elite difference-maker along the defensive front.
He's a versatile lineman who can be disruptive as an interior pass-rusher. Although Coples doesn't have elite top-end speed, he showed the ability this week to set up offensive tackles with his hands, using his initial quickness to get into power moves and flashing quickness and fluidity on both inside and outside pass-rush moves.
Coples also has the long arms and upper-body strength to be effective against the run, and he's one of the top three or four natural talents in this year's class. Depending on how things shake out with the top quarterbacks on the board, Coples likely won't last long past the Cleveland Browns at No. 4 or the Washington Commanders at No. 6, where he would find his best fit as a 4-3 defensive end.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draf...fenders-proved-their-elite-status-senior-bowl
DAL @ PHI
LAR 
IND 
CAR 
