This series was created a number of years ago in response to questions about why certain well-known prospects went unselected in NFL drafts. For these articles, I reach out to sources with NFL teams to find out why their organizations passed on drafting a given player, and/or, what were the reasons for other teams to pass on that prospect. The positive response to “Why Undrafted” and questions from readers about why prospects were drafted lower than the media expectations led us to create the parallel series “Why the Slide?”
Both series are back this year. Feel free to email me requests for Why the Slide? and Why Undrafted? at [email protected]. I can’t promise to get to all of them, but I will do my best and definitely will respond to the email.
During the 2019 season, Quincy Roche created some buzz in the scouting community from doing a nice job of getting after the quarterback and putting together good sack production. As a freshman at Temple, he had seven sacks, 31 tackles and three forced fumbles. His tackle total improved to 57 as a sophomore, plus he had six sacks and two forced fumbles. In his final season at Temple, Roche got the attention of NFL scouts with a 13-sack season that also included 49 tackles and a forced fumble.
Following the 2019 season, Roche transferred to Miami. He totaled 45 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass batted in his one season with the Hurricanes. The senior played better than the numbers suggest and formed a dangerous edge tandem with fellow transfer Jaelan Phillips. After his productive career getting after the quarterback, many thought Roche could be a second-day pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, so it was a surprise when he slipped to all the way to the sixth round before he was drafted.
Team sources said Roche slid due to multiple factors. One college director said Roche lacked length and his smaller size made him a 3-4 outside linebacker only. Roche also hurt himself with a slow 40 time of 4.75 seconds, and his character evaluation was mixed. Some other team sources believe Roche has an issue with lower body stiffness. A few evaluators said there is a lack of lower body strength with Roche, and one said they believed Roche didn’t play hard all the time.
The Pittsburgh Steelers ended Roche’s fall in the sixth round, and they were an excellent landing spot for him. Pittsburgh has given opportunities to late-round or undrafted players, and the team have a favorable depth chart for instant competition. Veteran edge rusher Bud Dupree departed in free agency, so the Steelers need a pass rusher to emerge across from T.J. Watt. With Watt, Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt commanding the attention of the offense, whoever is the fourth rusher should see plenty of single-block looks.
Roche will enter what should be an open competition with second-year pro Alex Highsmith and veteran Cassius Marsh. Even if Roche doesn’t become a starter, he could work his way into being a designated pass rusher in nickel and dime packages. Roche has a great opportunity with the Steelers, and it will be up to him to make the most of it.
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