http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/20...tml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter NEW YORK -- Courtney Upshaw hopes to be one of the 32 players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft tomorrow night. And if the Jets are the team that calls his name, the star Alabama outside linebacker won't need much convincing to buy into coach Rex Ryan. "I love him," Upshaw said today at the NFL's PLAY 60 Youth Football Festival in Chelsea, attended by many of the draft's top prospects. Upshaw likes the style of defense Ryan coaches. And he even likes his infamous Super Bowl guarantees, even though none have yet panned out. "The way he comes out basically every time and (says), 'I’m going to guarantee a championship,' I kind of like that because he’s confident in his team," Upshaw said. "I’d like to play for a coach like that." Upshaw is a possibility if the Jets stay at the No. 16 pick. He is one of the best pass rushers in this year's draft class, notching 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons and capping his college career as the defensive MVP of the BCS National Championship Game. Over the past few days, though, some draft pundits have projected Upshaw could slide in the draft because some teams won't be sure how he fits into their defense. Upshaw said he's not nervous and hasn't paid much mind to such projections. "I'm just ready to get back to the football part. Whoever picks me up is going to have a great player," he said, adding: "Coming in, I was probably rated one of the top 10 prospects or whatever, but that’s the thing. I’m humble, coming into this whole thing, I’m humble. You don’t know how it is going to go Thursday. I really want to go first round, I’m going to put it like that, but if I don’t, then sure thing I’ll be OK with whoever picks me up." Ryan surprisingly did not attend the Alabama Pro Day, and Upshaw was not invited for a pre-draft visit to the Jets facility. But Ryan told reporters at the league meetings in March, "Everybody knows we like Courtney Upshaw." Upshaw said it would be an easy transition from Alabama coach Nick Saban to Ryan, because both are defensive-minded coaches. He also played in a 3-4 scheme in Alabama and would likely be a better fit for NFL teams which also use a 3-4 defense, though Upshaw believes he can get after the passer no matter where he is lined up. "I love to get after the quarterback; I love getting sacks," he said. "I feel I can play both positions, and play them well, and be productive. Either or. If it’s a 4-3 team I’ll play defensive end; 3-4, I’ll play outside 'backer. But I love to get after the quarterback, love to make plays, big plays, like that." The Jets could use an infusion of young talent at the outside linebacker position, which is why many expect they could use their first-round pick at the position. Calvin Pace is 31 and hasn’t been as productive as expected, and Bryan Thomas is almost 33 and coming off Achilles surgery. The Jets' sackleader last season was Aaron Maybin, the former Bills castoff who revived his career with the Jets and was used as a pass-rush specialist, though he's eyeing an every-down role this season. Two other prospects at the position the Jets have shown interest in are South Carolina's Melvin Ingram and North Carolina's Courtney Upshaw. Both took pre-draft visits to the Jets facility. Ingram called the Jets a "first-class organization" and said he would fit in "perfectly." But he is considered the top pass rusher in the class and may not last until pick No. 16, meaning the Jets may have to either trade up for him or miss out. Ingram, who recorded 19 sacks over the past two seasons, said the Jets have told him they're interested -- but they're not alone. "Everybody said that, so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary," he said. "But yeah, they said they are very interested." Coples said he has been speaking to one of the Jets scouts "almost every day now." Coples' production dipped last season, and he said the most common question he has received from teams is "How much do you love football?" He said the answer is obvious. It's possible one of these players could soon be bound for Florham Park, but they're trying not to read into pre-draft speculation or signals. "I know how it goes. Some teams want to meet, some teams don’t," said Upshaw, who ran into former college teammate and current Jets reserve quarterback Greg McElroy at the EA Sports party last night. "Some teams want to take more action on trying to get to know you more, on-the-field, off-the-field issues, stuff like that. You never know how it goes. Thursday we’ll find out if I’m a Jet or not."
Most interesting part of this article: Coples said he has been speaking to one of the Jets scouts "almost every day now." Coples' production dipped last season, and he said the most common question he has received from teams is "How much do you love football?" He said the answer is obvious.
