Quinton Coples facts for kids
Coples signing autographs in April 2013
|
|||||||||
| No. 98 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | June 22, 1990 Kinston, North Carolina, U.S. |
||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 290 lb (132 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Kinston | ||||||||
| College: | North Carolina (2008–2011) | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Quinton Kyle Coples (born June 22, 1990) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). The New York Jets chose him in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Coples played for the Jets for parts of five seasons. He became a starter in his second year, 2013. In 2015, the Jets released him. He then joined the Miami Dolphins for the rest of that season. After being released by the Dolphins in 2016, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams. However, he was released before the season began.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Quinton Coples grew up in Kinston, North Carolina. He went to Kinston High School. Later, he moved to Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia. He was a highly-rated football player in high school. Many experts thought he was one of the best defensive end recruits.
College Football Career
Coples played college football at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was part of the North Carolina Tar Heels team.
Junior Year Success
In 2010, during his junior year, Coples had a great season. He was named a first-team All-ACC player. That year, he made 59 tackles. He also had 10 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing team's quarterback 10 times.
College Career Totals
By the end of his college career, Coples had impressive stats. He finished with 144 tackles. He also recorded 24 sacks and caused 5 fumbles.
Professional Football Career
Quinton Coples was considered one of the top defensive end players for the 2012 NFL Draft.
Joining the New York Jets
The New York Jets picked Coples as the 16th overall player in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team in May 2012.
Rookie Season (2012)
In his first year, 2012, Coples played well. He made 30 tackles and had 5.5 sacks. The Jets finished the season with 6 wins and 10 losses.
Switching Positions (2013)
In 2013, the Jets decided to change Coples' position. He moved from defensive end to outside linebacker. This meant he would play a slightly different role on defense. During a preseason game, he hurt his ankle. However, he returned to play in Week 3 of the regular season. He adjusted well to his new position. He played in 14 games and started 13 of them. He recorded 38 tackles and 4.5 sacks. The Jets improved their record to 8 wins and 8 losses that season.
Later Years with the Jets (2014-2015)
In 2014, Coples played in all 16 games. He started 15 of them, mostly as an outside linebacker. He made 35 tackles and had 6.5 sacks. However, the Jets had a tough year, finishing with only 4 wins and 12 losses.
The Jets decided to keep Coples for an extra year in April 2015. But in 2015, he played less often. He made 8 tackles in 10 games. The Jets released him in November 2015.
Time with the Miami Dolphins
After leaving the Jets, the Miami Dolphins picked up Coples in November 2015. He played six games for them as a backup player. The Dolphins released him in February 2016.
Brief Stint with the Los Angeles Rams
In March 2016, Coples signed a contract with the Los Angeles Rams. However, he was released by the Rams in August 2016, before the regular season even started.
NFL Career Highlights
Quinton Coples played in the NFL for five seasons. He played a total of 62 games. Over his career, he made 114 tackles. He also recorded 16.5 sacks, showing his ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks. He forced 2 fumbles and recovered 1 fumble during his time in the league.
