Nick Coe compared to Myles Garrett

[WFE12 9,191]

How Nick Coe reminds Auburn teammate of No. 1 NFL draft pick Myles Garrett

By Justin Ferguson Auburn Beat Reporter 
August 3, 2017

AUBURN, Ala. — Nick Coe didn’t play a down last season for Auburn football. Yet there’s something about him that makes one teammate compare him to college football’s best at defensive end from a year ago.

Sophomore defensive end Marlon Davidson plays the same position as Coe, a former national high school wrestling champion from Asheboro, N.C. And the transition Coe made in his redshirt season on the Plains prompts Davidson to give him high praise.

“Nick is a freak of nature,” Davidson said Wednesday after Auburn’s third practice of fall camp. “Like the real deal. I look at him like Myles Garrett. He can really do it all. … It’s weird how long he’s came. He was just a little stick man coming in. Little, nothing. He grew a lot.”

MORE: Davidson sprained elbow in spring, plans to wear brace for 2017

Garrett went to Texas A&M and starred for the Aggies for three seasons before becoming the No. 1 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft. At 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds, Garrett combined freakish size and speed on his way to becoming one of the nation’s best overall players.

According to Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, Coe, 6-5, arrived at Auburn last year around 240 pounds. He is listed on Auburn’s fall roster at 270 pounds — almost identical to Garrett.

Steele says weight gain hasn’t altered Auburn’s view of Coe as a quick-twitch pass rusher on the edge.

“It hasn’t affected his quickness, it hasn’t affected his change of direction,” Steele said Tuesday. “It hasn’t affected his speed, and he’s a lot stronger. He understands leverage, state heavyweight champion wrestler two or three times. Those are a direct correlation with pass rush. We’re expecting him to help us there.”

Auburn defensive end Nick Coe (91) worked alongside the first-team last fall despite redshirting. (Auburn Athletics)

That wrestling background has been a benefit for Coe, who practiced on the second-team defensive line in 2016 while taking a redshirt.

Junior defensive tackle Dontavius Russell — himself a former high school wrestler — sees Coe convert those wrestling skills into football every day at practice.

“Leverage and different things like that and understanding,” Russell said earlier this week. “If you know how to handle somebody’s body, you can do a lot of good things on the defensive line. … It definitely has helped him on his journey.”

PRACTICE REPORT: 3-deep on offensive line, first look at returners on Day 3

Although Davidson is ahead of him on the depth chart at the moment, the sophomore knows his backup has at least one advantage.

“He’s extremely powerful,” Davidson said. “I mean, like bull rush, coming off the ball, long arms — man, he’s powerful. I know he’s way stronger than me. I know that’s what I’d say. He’s just gotta come along with it. He has to help me out just like he has to help the team out.”

Auburn will put a lot of trust on Coe in 2017, even if he doesn’t get a starting job. This spring, Auburn defensive line coach Rodney Garner said Coe was the only player behind Davidson at the traditional defensive end spot.

Steele said Auburn has a plan in place for Coe to contribute as a pass rusher and “that could come from multiple different places.” The Tigers must replace their top two pass rushers, Carl Lawson and Montravius Adams.

Davidson said his “freaky” teammate sees that opportunity, and he’s ready to take full advantage.

“He redshirted last year and didn’t get too much attention,” Davidson said. “But this year, he’s coming along. He’s making a big impact on our defense. I’m proud of him for stepping up the way he’s doing.”

[AUpreacherman22 3,873]

Just when I thought I couldn't get any more excited about Nick Coe.......

[kd4au 1,145]

That's some high praise right there, but I did pick Coe as one of my breakout players on D for this season. Excited to see this kid play.

[WFE12 9,191]

Surprised Marlon says he's " way stronger" than him. You can't just loosely throw around the name Myles Garrett, I believe Marlon knows that and this is BIG for us.

[corchjay 5,311]

Davidson/Coe on one side, Holland/PJ3 on the other.  Meet at the middle.  That's the game plan.  

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

With that size and speed I think you could see Coe playing both sides and some DT when we need an inside pass rush. Size and speed with the knowledge you get about leverage from wrestling makes a nasty combination. Back before he signed I said he was the player to watch.  Now lets hope it really happens on the field. If all the talk is true (I did say IF) then this D-line may prove to be better than last years even with 2 players having gone to the NFL. If D-Line is improved LB has all starters back and some young depth  with really good DB's (some depth issue could impact DB's) we have the chance to have the kind of D  that us old guys used to always expect from an Auburn D.

 

The potential is there soon we will really know.

[fredst 9,064]

That's a really big dude to have six-pack abs ?

[augolf1716 21,093]

24 minutes ago, fredst said:

That's a really big dude to have six-pack abs ?

I have 24 pack abs

[fredst 9,064]

18 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

I have 24 pack abs

Damn, I almost added something like that to my post, lol.

[corchjay 5,311]

39 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

I have 24 pack abs

you mean a keg

[corchjay 5,311]

1 minute ago, corchjay said:

you mean a keg

I'm working hard on mine now.  it's not a keg yet but like a saint Bernard barrel lol

[augolf1716 21,093]

1 minute ago, corchjay said:

I'm working hard on mine now.  it's not a keg yet but like a saint Bernard barrel lol

Good man

[The Plainsman 948]

10 minutes ago, corchjay said:

I'm working hard on mine now.  it's not a keg yet but like a saint Bernard barrel lol

Keg pack here.  

[fredst 9,064]

I apologize to everyone for where I led this thread ?

[fredst 9,064]

I'll also say (more to the thread topic) I love Coe's potential. Always a big fan of these big guys that have shown athleticism in other sports (think S. Marks), but especially wrestling. The had skills from wrestling I think are helpful in the d-line play.

[doc4aday 1,887]

Having lived in North Carolina for the past several years, I have tried to keep up with the HS football players here in NC that go on to play college and beyond football.  Nick Coe has been one of those players along with Kris Frost some years ago.  Coe was one of the top defensive players in the state and was a force to be reckoned with early on. I am excited to see that he is coming into his own and will be force to be reckoned with on Saturdays in the very near future. I would not be surprised if he makes SEC 2nd or 1st teams this season.  I think he will be much like Arden Key from Lsu, but is bigger and every bit as fast.  Our D-line is going to be one of if not the best in the SEC coming in no less than 3rd or 4th in the conference.

[jAUSon 2,836]

How much of this is the normal preseason koolaid? Not trying to be a downer. I'm asking outright. Do y'all think this stuff is gonna pan out? I know the picture is great overall for the team this year- but some of this stuff is so blustery I don't even know how to act. So honest to goodness: is our d.e. comparable to Myles Garrett? Dang it man.

[WFE12 9,191]

1 minute ago, jAUSon said:

How much of this is the normal preseason koolaid? Not trying to be a downer. I'm asking outright. Do y'all think this stuff is gonna pan out? I know the picture is great overall for the team this year- but some of this stuff is so blustery I don't even know how to act. So honest to goodness: is our d.e. comparable to Myles Garrett? Dang it man.

Fair point, all depends on Marlon's judgement. High words...

[cole256 17,039]

My breakout pick

[corchjay 5,311]

I hope Coe lives up to the hype but I can tell you one thing I don't think I've heard a team brag on their teammates this much ever.  KJ talking about the other running backs.  Marlon talking about the other DL mates.  J. Davis bragging on his DB mates.  Tre bragging on the other LBs and the young backers.  Austin and Bubba are the only ones thats spoken that hasn't glowingly praised their teammates.  

[Gowebb11 9,305]

4 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

I have 24 pack abs

I just have one Ab, singular. Who needs more, right?

[AUpreacherman22 3,873]

7 hours ago, jAUSon said:

How much of this is the normal preseason koolaid? Not trying to be a downer. I'm asking outright. Do y'all think this stuff is gonna pan out? I know the picture is great overall for the team this year- but some of this stuff is so blustery I don't even know how to act. So honest to goodness: is our d.e. comparable to Myles Garrett? Dang it man.

Fair question. We all know it happens every year. And usually it's a back up DE or something equivalent. Nobody has a back up DE who is Myles Garrett. That's true. But I think many of us, myself and Marlon included, see a ton of potential in Coe. He could definitely become a star in this league. But it's not gonna happen right away. 

To quote the great coach Axl Rose, "All we need is just a little patience."

[McLoofus 35,182]

9 hours ago, jAUSon said:

How much of this is the normal preseason koolaid? Not trying to be a downer. I'm asking outright. Do y'all think this stuff is gonna pan out? I know the picture is great overall for the team this year- but some of this stuff is so blustery I don't even know how to act. So honest to goodness: is our d.e. comparable to Myles Garrett? Dang it man.

I'm glad I waited for someone else to voice this opinion a little more diplomatically than I was going to. It is undoubtedly only a good thing to hear any of our players compared to #1 draft picks, but we do indeed hear players offering somewhat outlandish praise for their teammates every season. There is nothing wrong with youthful exuberance. The only downside is that a lot of fans will fail to qualify these comments and, when Coe falls anywhere short of Garrett-like success, they'll say, "I thought this guy was supposed to be the next Myles Garrett!!!" That's 100% on those fans, but it still puts undeserved and unnecessary pressure on Coe. He's probably laughing about it though. Or maybe he really is the next Garrett, and then everybody wins. 

8 hours ago, corchjay said:

I hope Coe lives up to the hype but I can tell you one thing I don't think I've heard a team brag on their teammates this much ever.  KJ talking about the other running backs.  Marlon talking about the other DL mates.  J. Davis bragging on his DB mates.  Tre bragging on the other LBs and the young backers.  Austin and Bubba are the only ones thats spoken that hasn't glowingly praised their teammates.  

I've been hard on Gus for a lot of things, but I've been consistent in praising him for recruiting- for the most part- a bunch of really, really good dudes. Hopefully we have a few more Marlon Davidsons mixed in who "have that dog in them", but I like having good people around the program. Our 3 best teams of the last 15 years have all had incredible chemistry. 

[gravejd 3,267]

Sounds good to me. We could use a few Myles Garretts on this team :). And hey i know he won't be that good his first year but you never know when a Ronnie Brown type is going to come of his redshirt year and just start killing it. Hope Coe can get it done, it would be great to have some quality depth behind Davidson

[JMassie11 1,610]

I still say he was the steal of that class