2010 NFL Draft: The Debate Rages On, Ndamukong Suh or Gerald Big Boy McCoy?

Perhaps one of the biggest debates going on prior to the 2010 NFL Draft is whether or not Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy are better than one another and it’s a debate that may not be settled until we watch them play in the NFL on Sundays. 

Still, taking a look at the numbers and the way that both of these guys played in college, you can determine, at least a little bit, who might end up being the better player.

Let’s take a quick look at both of these guys and see if we can help make up some minds in terms of which player will be better in the league (regardless of what team he ends up being drafted by) and have the better career.

Game Changing Ability

Ndamukong Suh: No one player in college football from last season could change a game like Suh.  Watching him play in the Big 12 Championship game, fans and scouts saw just how much Suh could change the game. 

Had Suh not been in the game, the Longhorns would have had a much easier time winning that game. It’s clear that Suh can be a difference maker in games and can really make an impact on the defense.

Gerald McCoy: McCoy, too, can change games but not with the kind of impact Suh gives.  However, given he gets placed in the right defense he could be just as disruptive.  McCoy exhibited some of the better pass rushing skills in college football last season and is dead on against the run. 

He doesn’t quite get up the field as well as Suh does but he is still disruptive and can cause mounts of having on the opposing offense.

Pass Rushing Skills

Ndamukong Suh: Suh is a devastating pass rusher as we saw in the Big 12 Championship game and should continue to be so in the NFL. He works his way off of blockers very well and has a lot of different moves that he can use to get past blockers and gets up the field quickly. 

He does have issues wearing down at times, perhaps because he plays at a high level all of the time and will need to work on his conditioning in the NFL. 

Gerald McCoy: McCoy may not have the kind of statistics that many people would like to see in pass rush, but he is still disruptive in the passing game.  Oftentimes he would have to be double teamed allowing other defenders to make plays while causing matchup problems for the offense.  He is also well adept at getting off of blocks.

Run Stopping

Ndamukong Suh: Suh is well adept at stopping the run despite the fact he gets double teamed when the offense runs the ball.  He has the strength and power to break through double teams and gets into the backfield to bring the runner down.

Commanding double teams also allows other on the line to make the play and Suh will get double teamed a lot in the NFL.

Gerald McCoy: McCoy isn’t as strong against the run but he does make plays against it.  He can also take on blockers well and often times commands double teams which will help free someone up to make the play. 

Speed/Quickness

Ndamukong Suh: In regards to how fast and quick Suh is, he does show a lot of quickness off the line and gets up the field in a hurry.  He also moves around very quickly and gets to the play fast. 

His backside pursuit is solid as well and he has the speed and size to catch running backs in the backfield.  His reach allows him to grab the back and get him down to the ground fast.

Gerald McCoy: McCoy seems to sense when the ball will be snapped and gets off the line in a hurry.  He can also move up and down the line well and get a jump into the backfield.  When it comes to pursuing the play from the backside McCoy is capable but he isn’t quite as well adept at this as many would like to see. 

There are times when his angles in backside pursuit are off and he can be fooled by running backs.  He is capable of recognizing plays and where they are going, but doesn’t do well in the backfield.

Tackling Ability

Ndamukong Suh: Remarkably, Suh led the Cornhuskers defense in tackles which is an amazing feat, considering you typically see a linebacker or safety make the most tackles on a team. He is also able to get to the ball carrier in the open field and can make plays in space.

Gerald McCoy: McCoy is a fine tackler in his own right and can make all the tackles.  He is solid, with good form and wraps up well when making the tackle.

Size

Gerald McCoy: McCoy may want to add some weight without losing any of his quickness and speed.  The NFL team that drafts him may ask him to do that. 

Ndamukong Suh: Suh has great size for the defensive tackle position and won’t get pushed around too often by offensive linemen. He has long arms and uses his body well (in order to get up the field and make the play). Many experts consider his size ideal for the defensive tackle position.

Strength

Ndamukong Suh: Suh is one of the strongest players in this year’s draft and is built very well for the position.  He derives most of his strength from his legs which allows him to get a good base and a strong push up the field.  His strength also allows him to handle double teams well.

Gerald McCoy: McCoy is not as strong as Suh is but he does have enough to be disruptive.  He also plays with great leverage.

Technique

Gerald McCoy: McCoy has very good hands and sheds blockers very well.  Like any good defensive lineman, he will get low under the pads of offensive linemen and drive them up the field and towards the ball to make the play. 

Ndamukong Suh: Suh played primarily in a 4-3 defense but could play nose in a 3-4.  He can drive blockers backwards and break free to make the play in the backfield. He can sidestep offensive linemen to get around them when rushing the passer and when (if asked) he lines up on the edge he has the speed to get up the field quickly and make some plays. 

Conclusion

While some feel that it’s basically a coin flip between both McCoy and Suh you can see that if there is an edge in this it has to go to Suh.  He could make any team’s defensive line instantly better and is flexible enough to play in either a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense. 

He is also much more of a game changer than McCoy, and had a much bigger impact in college.  He should be able to do the same in the NFL. 

Look for Suh to go either first or second in the 2010 NFL Draft.