Dan Quinn is the right coach for John Cominsky

Of all the players the Falcons took in the 2019 draft, none may be more intriguing than fourth rounder John Cominsky. While the Falcons spent their first two picks addressing the offensive line, it wasn’t until their fourth pick - their second one in the fourth round - that they addressed the defensive line. Normally, guys picked in this range aren’t likely to become much more than rotational guys and/or special teams players, as recent Falcons history indicates.

Cominsky could be different. His combine numbers were insane. The fact that he played at Charleston in the Mountain East raises sincere questions about the level of competition he played against, but he did dominate at that level. He has a lot of question marks, but his potential is incredible. Pairing better technique and strength with his speed and burst would make him lethal at defensive tackle.

This kind of player is exactly what Dan Quinn loves. When Coach Quinn came to Atlanta, his overriding philosophy was about player development. Not just the guys who are assured starters, but also the guys who won’t even see a snap on Sundays. Quinn’s philosophy of developing players was highlighted both by the team’s successes at linebacker and in the secondary and less so by the repeated instances of Quinn personally coaching up players like Tyler Starr, who was on the practice squad a few years ago and is no longer in the NFL.

The pairing of John Cominsky with a coach who believes deeply in player development could be the perfect combination. Given Quinn’s direct history of helping to get the most out of defensive line players like Michael Bennett, Cominsky may have been drafted into the best possible situation. That’s especially true because he looks to be moving to the interior of the defensive line, where Quinn has had a better track record with the likes of Grady Jarrett and Jack Crawford in Atlanta than he has at EDGE.

Fourth round picks are hit and miss. It’s rare for guys drafted this late to turn into anything more than rotational guys, so we should all temper our expectations. That said, if any team is equipped to get the most out of an intriguing prospect like Cominsky, it may be the Dan Quinn led Falcons.

What are your thoughts on Cominsky and his potential in the NFL?