Get to know North Carolina’s Robert Quinn

On a North Carolina defense loaded with NFL Draft prospects, none may be better than junior defensive end Robert Quinn.

Quinn is currently rated as our third-best draft-eligible player in the nation. He gets that ranking because of his (6’5, 270 pounds) and athletic ability. What makes Quinn a better prospect than players like Adrian Clayborn and Cameron Heyward, though, is his first step. He uses his lightning first step to break to the outside and his power to work back inside.

The combination typically puts Quinn in the backfield. It also makes him the most dynamic defensive end eligible for the 2011 NFL Draft.

In 2009, Quinn made a living behind the line of scrimmage. He finished the year with 52 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks. Add that to three pass breakups and six forced fumbles.

More impressively, he gets those numbers lining up as a right end, taking on the offense’s left tackle.

To understand Quinn’s dominance, look at what he did against Duke last season. Although Duke is lacking in talent, Quinn’s seven tackles, six quarterback pressures, three sacks and a force fumble almost singlehandedly won UNC the game.
But to understand Quinn, you have to understand his perseverance. When Quinn, a three-time state wrestling champion, was a senior in high school, he found out he had a brain tumor. The tumor required immediate brain surgery. Nurses told him his athletic career was over.
First Quinn had to have a tube inserted into his head to relieve pressure on his brain the tumor was causing. Then his tumor was removed and found to be benign.
Soon after the tumor was removed, Quinn was quickly back on the wrestling mat taking his third state title.
At North Carolina, he quickly received playing time on head coach Butch Davis’ vaunted defense. After his freshman season, Quinn was named the ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award winner for the league’s most courageous player.
But if Quinn performs like he did in 2009, the awards might be named Lombardi and Nagurski. Some guy named Suh won both of those last season.