(AP)
At the University of North Carolina’s pro day last month, Jets coach Rex Ryan watched defensive end Quinton Coples from a distance, then kept creeping closer.
Finally, Ryan was lined up on the other side of the line of scrimmage from the 6-foot-5, 284-pound pass rusher as an honorary offensive tackle. Ryan got to see firsthand what Coples could do, then Ryan asked him to stay after and do some linebacker drills.
Ryan must have liked what he saw because Coples was invited to visit the Jets’ Florham Park headquarters on Wednesday. Coples left the visit believing there is a good chance he could be a Jet if he still is available when the team is on the clock with the 16th pick in the NFL Draft Thursday night.
“It was a good impression,” Coples said in a phone interview of what he thought of the Jets. “They were definitely serious about taking me if I’m available at that time. It was good stuff. They educated me on the things they do in their program.”
The Jets need a pass rusher. Coples had 17 1⁄2 sacks in his final two years with the Tar Heels. On paper, he looks like a Top 10 pick. But a dip in production as a senior led to questions about his motor, which during the predraft process has led to plenty of questions from teams about his desire.
“Just am I ready? Am I ready for the transition?” Coples said when asked what teams’ biggest question is for him. “They want to know me personally and how I feel about going into the NFL. I’m ready. There’s no doubt about it. I’m just ready to play football.”
Coples is not a perfect fit for the Jets’ system. He is better suited for to be a 4-3 defensive end. But he could be a value selection for the Jets. He has a ton of ability with the potential to be an impact pass rusher — something the Jets have lacked since John Abraham was traded.
Draftniks also see huge bust potential in Coples. He moved from defensive tackle to defensive end as a senior. His sacks slipped from 10 to 7 1⁄2, and scouts say you could see him taking off plays when you studied the video.
“Coples is a phenomenal athlete,” Jets vice president of college scouting Joey Clinkscales said last week. “He probably played better as a junior than he did this season.”
Coples’ four years at North Carolina also featured plenty of turbulence. The football program was rocked with an agent payment scandal in 2010 that led to the firing of head coach Butch Davis just before last season. Coples then was investigated by the NCAA for attending the draft party of two of his former teammates last year. He was cleared of any wrongdoing.
“It was very difficult,” Coples said. “I became responsible for pretty much the whole team. … I wish it didn’t happen, but it did happen, and … I’m definitely proud to say I was a part of that season, and I learned a lot.”
THEY MIGHT BE JETS
NAME: Quinton Coples
POSITION, SCHOOL: DE, North Carolina
KEY STATS: 55 tackles, 15 for a loss, 7½ sacks in 2011
WHY THE JETS NEED HIM: Coples is an athletic pass rusher that could provide a jolt to the defensive line.
brian.costello@nypost.com