Quincy Roche will be the third Miami Hurricanes defensive end selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. Roche is 100th on the big board that projects him at the end of the third round, including compensatory picks awarded to teams who lost players in free agency. Six edge rushers came off the board in the first round.
Miami Hurricanes DE Jaelan Phillips was the first edge rusher chosen in the 2021 NFL Draft when he was selected 18th by the Dolphins. Miami alum Greg Rousseau was the fourth edge rusher chosen when he was drafted 30th overall in the first round by the Buffalo Bills. Roche is the 14th ranked edge by CBSSports.Com.
According to NFL.Com, 16 teams needed edge rushers in the 2021 NFL Draft. The other teams who took edge-rushing defensive ends were Indianapolis, New Orleans, Buffalo and Tampa Bay. That leaves seven teams remaining who need an edge rusher as the draft enters the second and third rounds on Friday.
The teams needing edge rushers are the Jets, Falcons, Bengals, Giants, Vikings, Bears, Steelers, Browns, Chiefs and Rams. Kansas City and the L.A. Rams did not have first-round picks. Cincinnati is likely to draft an offensive lineman in the second round. Canes Warning’s partner site NFL Mocks has four DEs drafted in the second round.
Quincy Roche: Most valuable edge defender in the 2021 draft class (per PFF WAR) pic.twitter.com/GxWes5F5Ny
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 10, 2021
Cincinnati was last in the NFL in sacks in 2021. Roche seems likely to be a third-round pick and the Bengals could be a spot to watch for Roche to land. The Buccaneers and Rams would be adding depth and a player who would develop into future starter. Los Angeles finished second and Tampa Bay fifth in sacks in 2020.
At 6’3, 245 pounds with a 4.62 40-yard dash, Roche is somewhat in-between a DE in a 4-3 defense and outside linebacker in a 3-4. The position Roche plays in the NFL will likely depend on what team drafts him. Roche has a lot of upside but there has been some question about his athleticism in the 3-4.
The size has been the criticism for Roche in the 4-3. Roche transferred to Miami from Temple for the 2020 season but was not as productive with the Hurricanes as he was with the Owls. Roche had 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in 12 games with Temple in 2019. With Miami Roche had 14.5 and 4.5 in 10 games.