ESPN

Quinton Coples knows just how much the Jets needed a pass rusher. In fact, he watched the team on HBO for the 2010 version of "Hard Knocks." He picked up a few more bits of inside information about coach Rex Ryan.

"I'll bring him all the snacks he wants," Coples said in his first interview as a Jet at Radio City Music Hall.

Coples said he got the call from owner Woody Johnson.

"Woody Johnson got on the phone and spoke highly of me and said, 'Get ready to be a Jet, man, and let's go get a Super Bowl.'"

Coples may have made his first misstep early. When asked if he was a fan of Tim Tebow, Coples said he wasn't, but then backtracked pretty quickly, saying that Tebow would be a good teammate.

Reactions to the pick of Coples, a defensive end out of North Carolina, were mixed after his name was called out. Jets fans notoriously pack the venue each year, and a few said they were happy with the pick.

"I think it was an excellent pick," said Sanford Lapsley of Queens. "We definitely needed defense. Hopefully we can get a safety in the next round."

Coples said Ryan put him through linebacker drills during the combine, and could be moved to that role. But he understands his most important job will be rushing the passer.

"I think that's what they drafted me for and I'm looking to get the job done," Coples said.

PLAYER: Quinton Coples

SCHOOL: North Carolina

POSITION: DE

HEIGHT: 6-foot-6

WEIGHT: 284 pounds

What it means: This is a boom-or-bust pick by the Jets. Coples is a fantastic athlete with prototypical size for a 4-3 defensive end, but there are questions about his work ethic and passion for the game. Many scouts feel he coasted through last season, finishing with only 7.5 sacks after 10 in 2010. The Jets acknowledge that Coples' performance slipped. He redeemed himself somewhat at the Senior Bowl. Rex Ryan attended Coples' pro day and personally tested him in drills.

How he fits in the defensive scheme: Coples has prototypical size for a 4-3 defensive end, but the Jets play a 3-4 front. Does he have the agility to stand up as an outside linebacker in their base front? That's a key question. Coples said he was told by Ryan in his recent visit to the Jets that they plan to use him all over the scheme, presumably at end, outside 'backer and tackle.

UPDATE: Ryan, speaking at a news conference after the pick, said the plan is to make Coples their left defensive end. They have no intention of making him a linebacker. On passing downs, he will slide inside as a pass rusher.

Projected impact: The Jets needed an outside pass rusher in the worst way, so Coples fills a need. He was the second pass rusher off the board, behind Bruce Irvin -- the Seahawks' stunning pick 1t 15. Coples will contribute immediately as a situational rusher, lining up with Aaron Maybin as bookend rushers. How fast he acclimates to the base defense remains to be seen. The pressure will be on coordinator Mike Pettine and new DL coach Karl Dunbar to keep him motivated.

We're halfway to the 16th pick. A quick recap on the top eight:

1. Colts -- QB Andrew Luck
2. Redskins -- QB Robert Griffin III
3. Browns (trade with Vikings) -- RB Trent Richardson
4. Vikings (Browns) -- OT Matt Kalil
5. Jaguars (trade with Bucs) -- WR Justin Blackmon
6. Cowboys (trade with Rams) -- CB Morris Claiborne
7. Bucs (Jaguars) -- S Mark Barron
8. Dolphins -- QB Ryan Tannehill

So what's left for the Jets? There are three defensive players they'd love -- LB Luke Kuechly, DE Fletcher Cox and DE Michael Brockers. On the next tier, there's OLB Melvin Ingram and DE/OLB Chandler Jones, followed by WR Michael Floyd and OG David DeCastro.

The key spot for the Jets is the Seahawks at 12, because Seattle also is interested in outside rushers, same as the Jets. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jets move up to 12. I also wouldn't be surprised if they drop to the Chargers (18), who are looking to trade up and have talked to the Jets.

Forbes magazine conducted an in-depth analysis of the NFL draft, from 2005 to 2009, and determined the Jets were the second-best drafting team in that span.

The researchers used a complex formula, but, in essence, they based the data on four variables: Percentage of games played, percentage of games started, career length and number of Pro Bowls earned. Their five most efficient teams, with their score:

1. Packers --141.3
2. Jets -- 138.9
3. Cowboys -- 128.4
4. Saints -- 126.1
5. Vikings -- 120.2

From 2005 to 2009, the Jets drafted D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold, Darrelle Revis, David Harris, Dustin Keller and Mark Sanchez, among others. If it weren't for the Vernon Gholston flop in '08, you'd have to think the Jets would've finished first.

The draft landscape is ever-changing, and here is the latest scoop as the Jets head into Thursday night's first round:

• There's a decent chance the Jets, picking 16th, will move out of that spot -- up or down. Here's why: They have eight to 10 players ranked in the upper tier of their draft board. After that group, there's a group of a dozen or so players with similar grades. If the top group is gone by 16, it makes sense to move down and pick up an extra choice. In fact, they're exploring trade-down scenarios, ESPN's Sal Paolantonio reported. Easier said than done; who's willing to move up to 16?

• The Jets remain interested in Alabama RB Trent Richardson, but as we reported Wednesday, it's a long shot. The cost to move into the top five is prohibitive. And they know it. To quote the Rolling Stones, you can't always get what you want.

• If the Jets trade up, it would be for a defensive player, with Alabama S Mark Barron, LSU DE Michael Brockers and Mississippi State DE Fletcher Cox the most likely targets.

Barron would fill an obvious need; Brockers and Cox would be value picks. They used last year's first-round pick on a lineman, Muhammad Wilkerson, but the Jets deem Cox and Brockers as special talents. There is little chance any of these players will slide to 16. Brockers could get close, but it would be hard to get past the Cowboys (14th) and Eagles (15th).

• Contrary to popular belief, the Jets don't rate South Carolina OLB Melvin Ingram among the upper-tier players. They like him enough to take him at 16, but they won't trade up for him. There has been a lot of buzz about Ingram. They think he's a good football player, and he'd obviously fill a need, but he's not a gotta-have-him talent in their eyes.

• If the Jets have to make a pick at 16, and Ingram is gone, this is where it will get interesting. The fallback options are Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd and Stanford G David DeCastro, whom the Jets may consider at right tackle. Chances are, DeCastro wouldn't be received well at Radio City; a first-round guard isn't sexy. Floyd would be a popular choice, but is he really that much better than the receivers likely available in the second round?

Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw has been linked to the Jets in many mock drafts (heck, I took him in my mock for SportsCenter), but the late word is that he's not a consideration at 16.

• If the Jets trade down, they'd look at the next tier of pass rushers -- Syracuse DE/OLB Chandler Jones and Illinois DE/OLB Whitney Mercilus. Jones' stock has been soaring. The NFL Network's Mike Mayock said Jones is one of the best defensive players in the draft. There's a lot to like about Jones, but he's never played OLB and his production was average. But the Jets like him. North Carolina DE Quinton Coples and Memphis NT Dontari Poe have been mentioned elsewhere as possibilities, but I haven't heard much buzz connecting them to the Jets. In my opinion, they're far too risky.

In six drafts as the Jets' GM, Mike Tannenbaum never has traded down in the first round. But there's always a first.

Former Jets NT Kris Jenkins said Darrelle Revis should put his contract issues aside and be a team leader.

Jenkins respects Revis, saying he has "the heart of a defensive lineman in a cornerback's body," but in the aftermath of last season's locker-room mess, he hopes his former teammate can look past the money and galvanize the team.

"They need consistency right now," Jenkins told reporters Wednesday night at ESPN The Magazine's pre-draft party in Manhattan. "He has enough money. This time, I think he needs to get out there and make it more than about just getting the dollars."

Revis, who has two years remaining on his contract, wants a new deal and hinted the other day that he may stage his second training-camp holdout in three years.

"I know Revis is always going to do what's best for him and what's best for his business, his brand, but, in my opinion, at the end of the day, he has to realize he has to be a leader," said Jenkins, a studio analyst for SNY. "He's that guy now. Regardless of what's going on with (Mark) Sanchez, (Tim) Tebow ... when they step out on the field on defense, everybody is looking at him. There's no doubt in my mind the offense is as well."

Revis never has been a vocal leader, but "he can be the Ray Lewis of the Jets' defense if he wants to be," according to Jenkins.

Jenkins addressed a couple of other issues, saying the Jets need to replace RT Wayne Hunter and questioning Sanchez's ability to lead the team.

Jenkins said the team should draft a right tackle -- a "no-brainer," he said. He prefaced his remarks by saying he likes Hunter as a person, but he added: "I think he has the potential, but I think he showed last year it might be too big a platform for him. I think they need to take the time to get somebody in the free-agent market and they still need somebody young to come in and get ready to take over that spot."

On the Sanchez-Tebow quarterback dynamic, Jenkins said Tebow's "arm isn't capable" of leading the team to the Super Bowl.

"It all comes back to Sanchez," Jenkins said. "The million-dollar question of the day is, how does Sanchez handle this situation? With his confidence being an issue, with what he went through last year, with him having rough patches, does he get over this hump or does he fold? Right now, I want to see him get it, but I'm not 100 percent convinced he's ready to take on the team yet. I dont' know if Sanchez has that type of leadership capability."

If the crowd reaction at Madison Square Garden is any indication, Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes of the Jets aren't the most popular guys in New York right now.

Sanchez and Holmes were booed loudly at MSG on Wednesday night during the first quarter of the Knicks-Clippers game.

They sat next to one another in the front row and seemed to shrug off the boos, which came after both were shown on the Garden JumboTron.

Antonio Cromartie was also with Holmes and Sanchez but was introduced separately.

All three Jets politely declined comment at halftime.

It's interesting that Holmes and Sanchez were seated together because the quarterback and wideout didn't have the best relationship last season.

Holmes, a team captain, made publicly critical remarks about the offense early in the year. Then in the final game of the Jets' disappointing season, Holmes started jawing with teammates in the huddle and almost came to blows with tackle Wayne Hunter. Holmes was benched.

Holmes didn't want to talk about the incident during the Jets' offseason workouts.

Both Sanchez and Holmes also worked out together several times in the offseason.

It should be an interesting season for Sanchez because the Jets traded for Tim Tebow in the offseason. Sanchez praised Tebow as a "great addition" earlier this month.

Tebow was booed -- and cheered -- when he attended a game at Yankee Stadium on April 15.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Enough smoke screening. It's time to go on record with my predictions for the Jets. Before we get to their choices, here's I how see the 15 first picks:

1. Colts -- QB Andrew Luck; 2. Redskins -- QB Robert Griffin III, 3. Vikings -- OT Matt Kalil; 4. -- Browns -- WR Justin Blackmon; 5. Bucs -- RB Trent Richardson; 6. Rams -- CB Morris Claiborne, 7. Jaguars -- DT Fletcher Cox; 8. Dolphins -- QB Ryan Tannehill; 9. Panthers -- CB Stephon Gilmore; 10. Bills -- S Mark Barron; 11. Chiefs -- LB Luke Kuechly; 12. Seahawks -- WR Michael Floyd; 13. Cards -- OT Riley Reiff; 14. Cowboys -- DT Michael Brockers; 15. Eagles -- DE Chandler Jones.

The Jets' picks ...

Round 1 (16) -- OLB Melvin Ingram, South Carolina. They take Ingram over DE Quinton Couples.

Round 2 (47) -- WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina. Now the Jets will be the most popular team in South Carolina.

Round 3 (77) -- FS George Iloka, Boise State. The Jets love his size -- 6-foot-3, 225.

Round 5 (154) -- RB Robert Turbin, Utah State. This makes four running backs in four years.

Round 6 (187) -- OT Zebrie Sanders, Florida State. Unless the Jets still believe in Vlad Ducasse, they need a right tackle.

Round 6 (202) -- WR B.J. Cunningham, Michigan State. Another nice-sized (6-foot-1) target for Mark Sanchez.

Round 6 (203) -- CB Omar Bolden, Arizona State. Risky; missed senior year with ACL injury.

Round 7 (232) -- LB Brandon Marshall, Nevada. They need depth at ILB and on special teams.

Round 7 (242) -- DE Markus Kuhn, North Carolina State. Played in German Football League. Will add to the international flavor with Aussie rugby player Hayden Smith.

Round 7 (244) -- RB Jonas Gray, Notre Dame. Coming off knee injury, but has ability. A sleeper.

Santonio Holmes believes the Jets need a few good men -- on the offensive line.

Holmes, who created a firestorm last season by publicly criticizing the offensive line, said in a Disney interview at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex that the Jets needs to bolster the line and the receiving corps in the draft.

"We're looking for a few offensive linemen, some guys that are ready to come in and play right away," said Holmes, who works out at the complex. "We need a few more receivers to give Mark (Sanchez) more weapons to throw the ball to. And, hopefully, our defense comes around.

"Guys are ready to go, man. We're looking forward to a big season this year and, hopefully, make it to the playoffs, finishing off with the right things, holding that trophy."

It wouldn't be a shock if the Jets draft a right tackle, widely regarded as the weakest position on the line. They also could use some depth at guard, but to say they need a few linemen to play right away is a stretch.

Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine is co-hosting "Match for Michael," a May 1 event in Eatontown, N.J., designed to encourage people to register for the national bonor-marrow donor program.

Michael Manganiello is a husband, a father and an avid Jets fan. He was recently diagnosed with acute myelofibrosis, a rare condition where progressive scarring or fibrosis of the bone marrow impairs its ability to make blood cells. His only chance of survival is a bone marrow transplant.

In addition to donor registration, there will be live and silent auctions, an autograph session and a photo opp. Pettine is bringing along some of his friends -- Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez, Sione Pouha and Muhammad Wilkerson.

For more information, check out matchformichael.com.

North Carolina DE Quinton Coples, attending the NFL Play 60 Football Festival Wednesday in Manhattan, was asked about last week's visit to the Jets. He gave a rather unusual answer.

"I met Rex (Ryan), I met the GM, everybody was great," Coples told ESPNNewYork.com. "I got a chance to see their beautiful facility. I had great fun there. I got treated well and they had great food -- some great chefs."

The food? That's what you remembered about your visit? Coples couldn't recall what he ate, except to say there was a lot to eat and he ate plenty.

Okay, then.

Coples is an intriguing prospect. He's a terrific athlete with great size (6-foot-6, 284 pounds), but many scouts believe his play slipped last season. Some say he coasted, trying not to get hurt. In 13 starts at LDE, he led the team in tackles-for-loss (15) and sacks (7.5). In 2010, his numbers were slightly better -- 15.5 and 10.

Coples doesn't agree with those who say he declined.

"Not at all," he said. "I definitely played well."

Coples said the Jets didn't ask specifically about last season, "just everything that went down at Carolina." He said Ryan told him they'd "use him all over the place" in the Jets' 3-4 front -- namely DE and OLB.

"I'd be great," he said. "I'd fit in their system."

Coples, his stock slipping, could be available with the 16th pick. He's the ultimate risk-reward pick. If I were the Jets, I'd pass.

If the Jets don't address their pass-rushing need in the first round, they could turn to Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd with the 16th pick.

Floyd has been linked to the Jets for several weeks, but the Floyd/Jets buzz has gained momentum in recent days. Everybody knows they need a wide receiver, and Floyd has impressive credentials. The primary concern with him is an off-the-field issue -- three alcohol-related arrests in college.

Floyd, speaking Wednesday at an NFL Play 60 Youth Football event in Manhattan, said he was grilled by the Jets during a recent visit to the team's facility. He met with owner Woody Johnson, GM Mike Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan.

"They basically said, 'Is it over? Did you learn your lesson?'" Floyd said. "It was stuff like that -- and I have (learned my lesson). I'm moving forward from that and trying to be excited for this time in my life."

A rundown on Floyd's transgressions:

• In May, 2009, he was cited for under-age drinking near his home in Minnesota. He pleaded guilty.

• In January, 2010, he was again cited for under-age drinking in Minnesota. He allegedly left the scene of a fight that involved six to 10 people, according to Pro Football Weekly. Floyd was a passenger in a car that was pulled over; he reportedly had blood on his hands and shirt.

• In March, 2011, he was arrested for DUI in South Bend, Ind. Floyd pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunk driving. He was sentenced to a year probation, wasn't allowed to drive for 90 days, had an ignition/alcohol device installed in his car and was required to take a drunk-driving course.

The Jets did "a lot of off-the-field work on him," according VP of college scouting Joey Clinkscales. The Jets apparently are satisfied that Floyd won't have problems in the future because they "would be excited to have him ... Michael Floyd is a supremely talented wide receiver."

On the field, Floyd put up big numbers, catching 100 passes last season for 1,147 yards and nine TDs. He tested well, running in the 4.4s -- exceptional for a 6-foot-3, 220-pound receiver. Mike Mayock of the NFL Network called him a "beast," the best blocking receiver in the draft.

The question is, will Floyd last to 16? His stock is rising, one personnel executive said Wednesday, and he could go as high as 10th to the Bills.

If they can't trade up for Alabama RB Trent Richardson, a long shot, the Jets will look at South Carolina OLB Melvin Ingram, Floyd and LSU DE Michael Brockers.

Floyd said he's aware of the Jets' need at receiver.

"That's a good possibility, to play there, and I would love it," he said.

This is the final part in a nine-part, position-by-position analysis, breaking down the Jets' needs and draft possibilties.

Position: Secondary

Depth chart: Darrelle Revis (CB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), LaRon Landry (S), Eric Smith (S), Kyle Wilson (CB), Isaiah Trufant (CB), Ellis Lankster (CB), Julian Posey (CB), Tracy Wilson (S), DeAngelo Smith (S).

Not under contract: Jim Leonhard (S), Donald Strickland (CB).

Scouting Report: What happened to the depth here? A year ago, the Jets felt so good about their back-end depth that they traded the solid and versatile Dwight Lowery to the Jaguars. They could use him now. Defections and an injury (Leonhard) have chipped away at the unit, leaving only five players with legit NFL experience. No wonder they're checking out free agents Yeremiah Bell (Dolphins) and Chris Johnson (Raiders). They're hurting in the secondary, and we all know how Rex Ryan loves him some DBs.

The good news is that Revis-Cromartie-Wilson gives them one of the better cornerback trios in the league, essential in Ryan's man-to-man scheme. They need to add a fourth corner. Safety still is a big question, even after the signing of Landry, hardly a sure thing because of his history with Achilles' tendon injuries. They absolutely will draft a safety -- ideally, a safety with range and the ability to cover the tight end. Leonhard, recovering from major knee surgery, remains a down-the-road option.

The Last Time: The last DB pick came in 2010, when they selected Wilson near the bottom of the first round.

Potential Targets: If S Mark Barron (Alabama) slips to the Jets at 16, it would be the ideal marriage of need and value. VP of college scouting Joey Clinkscales hinted that Barron might not be the right fit in a man-to-man system -- i.e. the Jets -- but that sounded like a smokescreen. True, Barron was used primarily as an in-the-box safety last season, but he has the ball skills (12 career INTs) and athleticism to play on the hash or in man-to-man. After Barron, the next-best safety is Harrison Smith (Notre Dame), who visited the Jets. He probably won't last until the Jets' second-round pick (47th), and there's a big dropoff in talent after Smith. Brandon Taylor (LSU), Markelle Martin (Oklahoma State) and Antonio Allen (South Carolina) are third-round possibilities.

At some point, they have to pick a corner. The Jets have done extensive work on Trumaine Johnson (Montana), who has Cromartie-like size (6-foot-2, 204) and terrific speed. Some scouts think Johnson could switch to free safety, which makes him appealing. But he's also a problem child, and that raises some red flags. Johnson is regarded as a second/third-round prospect. The Jets also have expressed interest in Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech) and Omar Bolden (Arizona State), both projected in the third-to-fifth round range.

Need Factor (on a scale of 1 to 10): S -- 10; CB -- 5.

As a first grader in Eufaula, Ala., Courtney Upshaw walked into a fight in the school bathroom and it changed his life. He stuck up for a kid named Will McKenzie, who was getting bullied. You knew then he'd have a promising future as a defender.

"I don't know why, but I did it and we've been friends ever since," the Alabama outside linebacker said in a phone interview last week with ESPNNewYork.com.

McKenzie and his family will be in New York this week to see Upshaw get drafted into the NFL. There's an outside chance he could go to the Jets with the 16th overall pick. No matter what happens, Upshaw will be happy and surrounded by the surrogate family that guided him through a tough upbringing.

This is another version of "The Blind Side," an African-American football player from the South growing up with a white family. Upshaw said he was raised by his aunt, but he said of the McKenzies, "It's like my second family, a support system throughout high school and college, making sure I got to and from practice and graduated high school."

Upshaw became a star linebacker at Alabama, where he capped his career by winning defensive MVP honors in the national championship game. He's 6-foot-2, 272 pounds, a strong run defender and a power rusher (15.5 sacks the last two years). His stock has slipped in recent weeks, with NFL types whispering that he lacks elite athleticism and that he's a DE/OLB 'tweener.

If he slips to the bottom half of the first round, some team will get a bargain.

"I'm very confident in myself," Upshaw said. "I don't like to call it being cocky, I like to say it's confidence. I'm ready to go out and prove to the world that I'm (a dominant player). I take the bad and make it motivation. I hear a lot of things and I'm so motivated right now to up my game to another level and go out and dominate. I feel like I'm a dominant player."

Rex Ryan is on record as saying he likes Upshaw, but enough to take him at 16? Hard to say; maybe not. Opinions are all over on Upshaw. I spoke to one 4-3 team that didn't have a first-round grade on him because they can't decide where to play him.

For now, he's planning to make the most of his first trip to New York City. And he's going to enjoy it with the McKenzies.

"They helped me get to where I am today," he said. "Without them doing what they did, who knows what my life would be life? I thank God for them. I want them with me for support. I wouldn't turn my back on them. They never turned their back on me."

This is the eighth part in a nine-part, position-by-position analysis, breaking down the Jets' needs and draft possibilities.

Position: Linebacker

Depth chart: David Harris, Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, Bryan Thomas, Aaron Maybin, Josh Mauga, Nick Bellore, Garrett McIntyre, Eddie Jones, Ricky Sapp, Matt Berning.

Not under contract: N/A

Scouting Report: Stay tuned, folks, because there could be some significant news at linebacker. Even though they re-signed the venerable Thomas to a one-year contract -- he's coming back from Achilles' tendon surgery -- the Jets want to add another outside linebacker in the draft, possibly in the first round. This unit slowed down and got old last season, and it needs an influx of fresh blood.

The only edge rusher among the group is Maybin, a specialist not big enough to play every down in the base defense. Like Thomas, Pace ($3.1 million base) and Scott ($4.2 million) are on the wrong side of 30, but they're probably locked in because their '12 salaries are guaranteed. But the Jets have to take a long-term view of the position, knowing that Thomas, Scott and Pace all could be gone in 2013. It would be an upset they don't draft at least two linebackers -- one inside, one outside. The only building block is Harris, who's entering the second year of a four-year deal. Bellore and Mauga have some upside, but not enough to stop them from drafting an ILB.

The Last Time: The Jets haven't drafted a linebacker since Vernon Gholston in 2008. He was the sixth overall pick and failed to record a sack in three seasons, when the Jets finally sent him packing.

Potential Targets: The player atop their OLB wish list is Melvin Ingram (South Carolina), according to sources. He doesn't have prototypical size (6-foot-1 1/2, 264 pounds), but he plays with leverage and moves exceptionally well. Position versatility makes him an attractive prospect; he can play OLB, DE and ILB. He recorded 10 sacks, 15 knockdowns and 10.5 hurries, according to STATS. One personnel executive told me most of Ingram's pass-rush production came when he was used inside, stunting against a guard or center.

Other options are Courtney Upshaw (Alabama), Chandler Jones (Syracuse), Whitney Mercilus (Illinois) and Andre Branch (Clemson). Upshaw played 3-4 OLB in Nick Saban's pro-style defense, so he'd be less of a projection than Jones and Branch, both of whom were DEs in college. Upshaw (9.5 sacks), a power rusher, might be the safest pick among the three, but his ceiling is lower. Jones (4.5 sacks), Mercilus (16) and Branch (9.5) are better athletes with the potential to develop into very good edge rushers. In the second round, the Jets could consider the talented, but troubled Bruce Irvin (West Virginia).

Need Rating (scale of 1 to 10): 10.

Next: Secondary