By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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Roche, regardless of where he lines up or where he is drafted, will bring with him a proven track record of making plays.

There are a number of talented edge rushers in the 2021 NFL Draft. Quite notably, Miami has three of them, including potential first round pick headliners Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau, two of the top defenders in the entire class. Quincy Roche has earned his own spotlight as well.

The former Temple-transfer and 2019 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year just finished one of the most remarkable and productive careers in recent college football history: 182, total tackles, 54 tackles for loss, 30.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles. Roche even blocked three kicks. Remarkably, he is one of just six players this millennium with at least 50 TFLs, 30 sacks and eight forced fumbles; others on that list include Ryan Kerrigan and Von Miller.

Though Roche spent just one season at Miami, he made quite the impact. This past year, Roche finished third in the ACC with 14.5 tackles for loss. His 1.45 TFLs per game were right on par with his 1.46 TFLs per game when he was named an All-American at Temple in 2019. Roche helped the Hurricanes get out to an 8-1 start and ultimately finish fourth nationally in tackles for loss for the season. Among other performances, Roche had four TFLs versus Pittsburgh, three against Duke, 2.5 versus Louisville and two against Florida State, all wins.

It was a playmaking continuation from a player who, in 2019, had six tackles for loss versus Tulane and 3.5 sacks against South Florida in two more winning efforts.

At 6’3”, 245 pounds, Roche has had a successful pre-draft process to go along with his active playing career. Reese’s Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy called Roche the winner of Miami’s Pro Day after a showcase that included a 4.62 forty yard dash time and a 119-inch broad jump. Though he has excelled as a traditional 4-3 defensive end, Roche, projected by some as a linebacker at the next level, has potential scheme versatility.

Roche, regardless of where he lines up or where he is drafted, will bring with him a proven track record of making plays.

Given his game tape alone, Roche will bring tremendous value to his position in the draft. Few edge rushers, in any class, have such credentials. Don’t be surprised if Roche, with historic numbers as a defensive playmaker, and consistent results with two different teams, is selected much earlier than most pundits project. He may be one of the one of the more underrated prospects on the entire big board.

The upcoming draft will be yet another celebration for Miami, especially at defensive end. Phillips and Rousseau are incredible talents who are leading names at their position. Both, excelling on the field and in workouts, have absolutely earned all of the hype and praise they are getting. Roche should be getting more attention, too. His selection could be one of the better picks of the weekend.

Whether Roche is selected on Friday or Saturday, he has earned his opportunity to play on Sundays.