Quinton Coples

[CPF4LIFE]

I am not sure about that. Fua is not a 3-4 dlineman.. McClain might be able to play the 5 tech, but not sure... I don't think we waste a 3rd rounder on Fua if we plan on switching to the 34.

Stanford ran a 3-4 defense and Fua was the nose tackle.

[JawnyBlaze]

Stanford ran a 3-4 defense and Fua was the nose tackle.

Fua can't anchor a 4-3, much less a 3-4. Not in the NFL.

Let me be the first to say, I do not think DE is a top need of ours.. however, I think Coples would be a drastic upgrade over Hardy in terms of run stopping and I don't feel we would lose anything in pass rushing.

I'm not of the camp that believes Coples would be much (if any) of an upgrade over Hardy. I think people who think Hardy is a liability are just looking at sack numbers and thinking that tells the whole story for a DE. His only real flaw is that sometimes he over pursues letting a RB get to his gap, but he is in the backfield almost every play and plays the run a lot better than most seem to think. Coples looks good, but he's far from being the sure thing that Peppers, M. Williams or most top 5 or so picked DEs are. I don't think he's even as good a prospect as Quinn was.

[bleys]

don't want Coples, would be a wasted pick..

[bleys]

apparently people are sleeping on Hardy.. which is extremely hard to believe since dude has been a beast majority of the year..

[SOJA]

I'm not a big fan of Coples. I watched a good bit of UNC's games this year and he never popped off the screen. I agree he has a lot of talent, he just doesn't pass the eyeball test.

Plus, he got 4 of his 7.5 sacks against James Madison and Duke. Disappears in big games.

I watched every UNC game this year and this is exactly how I feel

He should be dominating and half the time Kareem Martin fairs just as well as him.

[Mainter]

In case that we are switching towards a 3-4 defense it would be ideal to trade down and accumulate more picks.

Draft Devon Still in the 20's, then Dontari Poe in the second and BPA corner/LB with the extra pick gathered from trading down in the first.

[JawnyBlaze]

But...we're not switching to the 3-4. We're going to use it sometimes...just like we have been...

[bleys]

But...we're not switching to the 3-4. We're going to use it sometimes...just like we have been...

not quite..

Here is the article on switching to the 3-4 defense in the future.. I think we start picking up the pieces to transition to the 3-4.. it says we are keeping the 4-3 base defense (for this year). So Poe could be the NT we are looking for.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15755796/rivera-plans-more-34-defense-from-panthers

[SOJA]

I think its the Pats that use a hybrid defense that switches between a 4-3 and 3-4. With Rivera's extensive knowledge of both it could be quite effective

[JawnyBlaze]

not quite..

Yea, I read that article. I think McDermott might have jumped the gun with some of those comments. I'll believe our switch to the 3-4 when I see it. For now, I still think we're just going to use it as a wrinkle occasionally.

[Kurb]

not quite..

We arent switching

[rayzor]

just like last year, i pretty much dismiss any mock that has us taking a DE.

it's a cliche....DE from UNC=panthers first round draft pick. we did it once so it must always be something we do. does it matter that johnson and hardy are both grading high and that the panther seem totally happy with CJ, hardy, applewhite, and keiser? does it matter that the problem with the pass rush and our inability to stop rushers is because of our weakness at DT?

it's just like TE was a few years ago. everyone had us going after a TE even though it was obvious to anyone who was really paying attention that fox didn't use the TEs the way the experts thought we should.