From now until the 2021 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
#2 Quincy Roche / EDGE Miami – 6027 243
The Good
- Productive collegiate career filling a lot of stat boxes
- Very good use of hands when rushing the passer
- Very good bend and balance when flattening to the quarterback
- Good quickness and agility to win gaps to the inside
- Good mental processing of run blocking schemes
- Good effort to work around and over blocks and through traffic
The Bad
- Adequate length and slightly undersized
- Burst off the line of scrimmage is average
- Gets repetitive with his pass rushes and will use the same one several times consecutively
- Motor ran hot and cold
- Technique verses blocks on the edge need consistent execution
- Limited usage in pass coverage
Bio
- Career – 182 tackles, 129 solo, 54 TFL, 30.5 sacks, 7 PBU, 8FR, 8 FF, 3 blocked kicks
- 2020 – 45 tackles, 27 solo, 14.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 PBU, 3 FR, 2 FF
- 2019 – AAC Defensive Player of the Year while playing for Temple
- 2019 – First team All-AAC
- Senior Bowl invitee
- Also played basketball in high school
- Communication major
Tape Breakdown
After three productive seasons as Temple, Quincy Roche transferred to Miami for his redshirt senior season to try his hand in the ACC. He aligned primarily as the right defensive end and played on his feet and with his hand in the dirt.
As a pass rusher he has solid snap quickness and gets solid depth getting up field. While rushing the passer his hands are very good. He uses chops and swipes, has good placement to the tackles chest when using a stab move has very good coordination to catch the tackles hands and use the leverage to his advantage. He has very good bend and balance at the top of the arc and flattens quickly to get after the quarterback. He will also use a rip, spin and has a very good counter to the inside using lateral agility with a swim move to win in the B gap. He has a good motor when getting after the quarterback. He has solid awareness on screens and cut blocks and was used sparingly to drop into the flat in Zone or to cover the running back out of the backfield but looked solid.
At Clemson, Roche (2) uses a double chop on the arms of the tackle to get around the edge and apply pressure.
At Clemson, he wasn’t asked to cover often but here he drops to the flat, reads the receiver and undercuts the route.
Vs Pittsburgh, he displays his ability to get around the edge using a swipe to the tackles outside arm and very good bend and balance around the edge.
At Duke, he shows his quickness inside with a jab to the outside, a double swipe and a jump to the inside to beat the left tackle.
Against the run, he has solid snap quickness and good mental processing to read the blockers and adjust accordingly. His technique is solid when setting the edge on runs his way. He is willing to take on pulling/lead blockers and shows good effort to work over and around blocks to his side. On plays away from him he shows solid speed and acceleration to chase and is solid working through traffic. He has good quickness to get into gaps and disrupt in the backfield.
At Clemson, he rips under the tackle to the inside to make the tackle for a loss.
Vs Pittsburgh, he communicate pre snap to get the team in the right position and then shoots the D gap to get in the backfield and make the stop near the end zone.
Vs North Carolina, he shows good mental processing to beat the blocks to the inside and force the runner to try to cut back.
When rushing the passer he gets repetitive with his moves and if one is successful he will go back to it several times in a row. There were plenty of pass rushes where he didn’t not attack but hung back kind of in a contain roll but not sure if that was by design. When he is lazy with his hands (not often) he leaves his chest open and tackle can use there length to hold him off. Effectiveness on stunts is spotty at best. While his initial set of the edge is good he gets caught peaking inside and trying to make a play and it allow runners to get outside. His technique versus pullers is 50/50 and he will use the outside shoulder and it opens up the outside.
Vs North Carolina, if his job is to force the play inside he is using the wrong shoulder and letting the runner outside. If he is supposed to spill the play then it’s on the linebackers.
Vs North Carolina he is going to set the edge and is in good position but when he peeks inside the running back takes advantage and is able to get positive yards.
Overall, Roche has solid snap quickness, very good hands, can bend around the edge or win with a counter to the inside when passing the rusher. He can set the edge, works over and around blocks to get to the ball and has the quickness to shoot gaps or chase through traffic. Fine tuning of his pass rush plan, improvement in snap timing and improving his technique versus run blocks are things he can improve.
There is a lot of potential here. He started off a little slow after his move to the ACC but there was improvement in his play and effort as he got more comfortable. Fifty-four career tackles for a loss is impressive against any competition. You can’t have enough pass rushers and Roche can get after the quarterback. His best fit is as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 base defense that can be a rotational player and situational pass rusher early and can be a starter with improvement to his run defense on the edge.
Projection: 3rd Round
Games Watched: 2020 – At Clemson, Vs Pittsburgh, At North Carolina State, At Duke, Vs North Carolina
