The Leading Authority of the NFL Draft

Skinny: He has the size, speed, instincts, and knowledge of the game to make an instant impact.  He can beat blockers at will w/ his first step and anticipation of the snap count.  Also very good in run support and just has a great nose for the football, batting down passes and containing the backside. Might be the No. 1 overall if it weren’t for his 2010 suspension + benign tumor in his brain.

Audio Interview -- Player Spotlight (11.20.09) -- LISTEN

SCOUT'S TAKE

Pros: The North Carolina defensive end is a relentless, athletic freak of a pass rusher that seems to enjoy smashing into ball carriers and quarterbacks. Quinn’s 11 sacks as a sophomore were second in the ACC, one fewer than 2010 first round pick Derrick Morgan’s dozen. Quinn also added 15 quarterback hurries to lead the Heels. The UNC product doesn’t just settle for the sack, he’s a turnover machine who recorded six forced fumbles and always plays until the whistle is blown. Standing at 6’5” and over 260 pounds Quinn is incredibly strong for his size to go along with his natural hip fluidity and explosion. His first step is so explosive that he often shoots gaps and reaches the running back just as he is getting the ball from the quarterback. The defensive end is so agile and athletic that many believe he is blessed with the ability to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, a position for which he exceeds the prototype in terms of size. Quinn understands that football is a game of contact and does not avoid it; on the contrary, he relishes it. He stays low to the ground and displays a solid understanding of leverage, which gives him a better bull rush than one would expect, considering his frame. Everything about this Tar Heel’s game is violent; his explosion off the line of scrimmage, the way he uses his arms to fight offensive linemen, his leg drive in his bull rush and when he tackles a player, they remember it. While he is most natural when rushing the quarterback, Quinn is not afraid to play the run and constantly chases down plays from the weak side while showing elite lateral agility when he needs to scrape down the line of scrimmage. In 2009 he recorded 52 total tackles and 19 tackles for a loss to lead the ACC, eight of which came against the run. The South Carolina native was a three-time state wrestling champion, winning his third and final title while still in the process of rehabbing from surgery to remove a tumor and drain fluid from his brain—if that doesn’t speak to both mental and physical toughness we don’t know what does. He won the Piccolo Award as a freshman, given to the “most courageous” football player in the ACC.

Cons: Physically, Quinn is a bit thin and needs to add playing weight to his frame to hold up consistently at the point of attack in the NFL, particularly if continues to play along the line of scrimmage as a defensive end. His thin legs and butt are especially concerning, as scouts will wonder if he can be stout against the run or utilize an effective bull rush at the NFL level. Quinn needs to get stronger if he is going to be as effective at the point of attack against the run on Sundays as he has been on Saturdays. If he does ultimately make the change to playing with his hand off the ground as a linebacker, the Tar Heel will have to prove he can drop back in coverage. Quinn has been deservedly lauded for how he has overcome his brain surgery, but the fact that he had a tumor in the first place is cause for concern. While he hasn’t had any issues since arriving at Chapel Hill and his health issues appear to be a thing of the past, monitoring will be needed, so he may face extra scrutiny from NFL team doctors.

Our View: Assuming Quinn’s health is not an issue, which appears to be the case, he oozes NFL talent. While his athleticism is off the charts, the one thing the NFL has shown is that talent is pointless without a motor, especially for pass rushers. Fortunately Quinn is the rare athletic freak whose motor runs incredibly high at all times. The Tar Heel end plays hungry and that will endear him to NFL coaches. While Quinn plays weak side end in Butch Davis’s 4-3, his best position in the pros might be as a 3-4 pass-rushing outside linebacker—more grace than brawn; athletic, but at the same time violent on the field. If Quinn has an exceptional junior season and manages to distinguish himself from a very talented collection of front seven players at UNC and around the nation, he will be a lock for the first round. In fact, he will have every chance to jump into the top 10 with impressive showings at the NFL Scouting Combine and UNC’s pro day, should he decide to declare and forgo his senior season as a Tar Heel. Several pass-rushing prospects have had their troubles in repeating double-digit sack seasons…it will be interesting to see how the Mighty Quinn does if he sees more double teams in 2010. The fact that defensive tackle Marvin Austin and linebackers Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter returned for their senior campaigns plays in Quinn’s favor.

2009: For a young end, the 6’5” 260-pound Quinn already has the size and strength to take on blockers and shed them. His speed in pursuit of the quarterback and on backside plays is just as impressive, as are his long arms and hand skills that help him to disengage from his opponents. Although, he may not be quite as big as his former high school teammate Carlos Dunlap (and not many people are), he shares a lot of the same characteristics. Coming out of high school, Quinn, was heavily pursued by Alabama before signing with the Tar Heels, The South Carolina native underwent emergency brain surgery to have a tumor removed two years ago. Needless to say, the ultra-talented athlete is doing more than ok.

NEWS

07/27/10 - Butch Davis, Robert Quinn’s coach with the Tar Heels, heaped a bunch of praise on the 6-foot-5, 270-pound Quinn during Monday’s interviews. “He’s got the potential, over the next two seasons, to be as good as anybody that we’ve ever coached,” Davis said. Quinn burst onto the scene last season when he recorded a team-high 11 sacks and forced six fumbles for UNC’s vaunted defense. He credits increased confidence for his statistical breakout. It’s pretty obvious now that he’s sure of himself. People often compare Quinn to former Tar Heels standout defensive end Julius Peppers, who now starts in the NFL for the Chicago Bears. One day, Quinn said he wants to be the standard-bearer for young defensive linemen at Carolina. “Julius was a great player in college and is a great player in the NFL, and I guess people are expecting me to a great player one day,” Quinn said. “I don’t know, it just makes me want to work harder. … Everybody is comparing me to him. One day, maybe people will start comparing the next Robert Quinn to me.” – Nelson County Times

12/30/08 - Freshman defensive end Robert Quinn (6’ 5”/260) is an impressive athlete for a man of his size and was able to use his speed and quickness to get into the backfield more than once. - CFI: Meineke CC Bowl Notes: WVU 31, UNC 30

Quote of Note: “I had the opportunity to get to know Robert Quinn really well last year, we had lockers next to each other, and I will tell you - that kid has got what it takes to be special. Smart, tough, strong, and fast. It’s going to be a fun year to watch No. 42.” - Mark Paschal on North Carolina DE Robert Quinn