I don't want to be a basher of him as there is potential, but he's not a 1st round prospect and I'd struggle to see how he's better than Coples right now. He has average explosiveness and by all accounts athleticism. When you watch him on tape he doesn't seem to have a great variety of moves he can use to rush the passer. If he's held up at the point of attack he struggles to get free. Seems like a good situational guy who can line up in a wide technique and try and use the speed he has when he gets up to it to get around the edge.
I've heard from a few people he doesn't play to straight line speed.
His arm length could be an issue. Not very good with his hands in order to get off blocks. Needs some work. He's has some potential but he;'s far from accomplished. Whilst Coples has some work ethic concerns, every negative I have come up for with Bequette I cannot say for Coples.
Coples was faster, he has better burst, sheds blocks extremely well and has fantastic use of hands helped along by his long arms. I'm not sure he has enough size and bulk to play inside and he needs to get his pad level lower at times.
Bequette blew him away in the 3-cone and short shuttle, not even close. Coples looked slow on "tape", and it confirmed to me at the combine. He doesnt have a better burst than Bequette. Coples has more potential to be a bust, than Bequette.
Pass rushing technique can be improved, better use of hands can be improved, but agility cannot. Either you have it or you dont. And Bequette blew Coples away in agility at the combine while being similar in size.
6.9 cone Bequette vs 7.57 Coples
4.07 short shuttle Bequette vs 4.78 Coples Not even close.
I wouldn't say that Bequette has "average athleticism". Only two DE guys beat him at the combine in the 3-cone, and both these guys didn't have the size of Bequette. Bequette has 30 pounds on Irvin and 4 inches on Ingram.
Considering his size, Bequette had actually the best athleticism among the DEs.
Bequette had a 34 inch vert, while Coples had 31.5 inch vert, being similar in size. So Bequette is more explosive, and has more lower body strength.
Coples is only faster in the 40, which I couldn't care less, because when was the last time you saw in the NFL a DE run straight ahead for 40yards? In the agility drills, Bequette is much much faster than Coples.
If Coples is a 1st round prospect, then Bequette undoubtely is also. For me Bequette is better prospect than Coples.