Of all the positions on defense in the 2012 NFL Draft, none has more potential than the defensive end class. The star and most proven player is North Carolina senior Quinton Coples. After that, it's intrigue.
2012 NFL Draft rankings: Defensive end
Fellow Tar Heel Donte Paige-Moss certainly seems the part, but has always been considered undersized. Now that he's up to 260 pounds, it will be interesting to see if Paige-Moss can maintain his explosiveness for an entire season. Fellow junior Brandon Jenkins of Florida State looks the part as well.
The rest of the class is almost all potential. With potential comes risk. For many of the players in this class, they’re good in one area but not another. Many of them are good at getting to the quarterback, but not at shedding blocks. That’s why the end class this year will probably be in flux throughout the season.
These rankings, after the jump, includes players who are currently ends in college. As the season progresses and it’s clear they need to switch positions they’ll be moved. Like the linebackers yesterday, some will show up in 3-4 rankings.
| 1. Quinton Coples | 6'6, 285 pounds | DE | North Carolina |
| 2. Andre Branch | 6'5, 260 pounds | DE | Clemson |
| 3. Jacquies Smith | 6'4, 250 pounds | DE | Missouri |
| 4. Jake Bequette | 6'5, 271 pounds | DE | Arkansas |
| 5. Vince Browne | 6'5, 265 pounds | DE | Northwestern |
| 6. Bruce Irvin | 6'2, 235 pounds | DE/OLB | West Virginia |
| 7. Vinny Curry | 6'4, 252 pounds | DE | Marshall |
| 8. Jonathan Massaquoi 6'2 251 pounds | DE/OLB | Troy |
| 9. Adrian Robinson | 6'2, 250 pounds | DE/OLB | Temple |
| 10. Cam Johnson | 6'4, 265 pounds | DE | Virginia |
| 11. Julian Miller | 6'6, 260 pounds | DE | West Virginia |
| 12. Shea McClellin | 6'3, 258 pounds | DE | Boise State |
| 13. Armond Armstead | 6'5, 295 pounds | DE/DT | Southern California |
| 14. Melvin Ingram | 6'2, 271 pounds | DE | South Carolina |
| 15. Trevor Guyton | 6'3, 289 pounds | DE | California |
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JUNIORS: |
| 1. Donte Paige-Moss | 6'4, 260 pounds | DE/OLB | North Carolina * |
| 2. Brandon Jenkins | 6'3, 245 pounds | DE | Florida State * |
| 3. Devin Taylor | 6'6, 250 pounds | DE | South Carolina * |
| 4. Nick Perry | 6'3, 250 pounds | DE | Southern California * |
| 5. Chandler Jones | 6'5, 247 pounds | DE | Syracuse * |
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