Robert Quinn Scouting Report

Robert Quinn's situation at North Carolina is a little different than that of some of the other players who were kicked off of the team after an investigation by the NCAA into whether some players received benefits from agents. Quinn is just a junior and, while he is considered permanently suspended by the NCAA, Quinn has time to appeal the ruling. However, Quinn is a great talent and he could just declare for the draft and put the collegiate world behind him.

Quinn certainly has enough potential and talent to be a first round draft pick. As a sophomore he nearly took home the Atlantic Coast Conference's Defensive Player of the Year honors, but fell just short of Georgia Tech's Derrick Morgan. Quinn totaled 52 tackles, 19.0 tackles-for-loss, 11.0 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries. There is little doubt that Quinn would have continued to put up great numbers had he played this season.

What stands between Quinn and the first round of the NFL Draft is interviews with NFL personnel leading up to April. Quinn is a physical specimen who has the size, strength and speed to be a great defensive end. It is unlikely that he will lose those skills by sitting out a season.

2/8 Update: If Quinn has continued to hit the weight room he should be a first round draft pick…and a high one at that. Quinn's weakness has also been his strength at the point of attack and he has really had a year to get ready for the NFL Combine and prove to everybody that he is still the explosive athlete that he was in 2009.

4/4 Update: Quinn has the talent of a top five pick, or even higher. However, NFL teams had plenty to talk to him about during the NFL combine. The issues surrounding the NCAA is one thing, but his health is turning into a bigger issue. Quinn has a tumor at the base of his brain which was removed after high school. It has not been an issue since, but adding that to the list of things that could go wrong is scaring away a few teams. With all of that pass rushing talent in this class, do not be surprised if Quinn falls a lot further than he should. However, that will not be past the 11th or 12th overall pick.