LB Carter Coughlin: The Good, the Great and the Ugly

Carter Coughlin suddenly finds himself in a crowded linebackers room. What does he do well and where does he still need improvement to hold on to his roster spot?

Adding Kayvon Thibodeaux and reintroducing Blake Martinez to the defensive mix meant a definite shakeup at the linebacker position for the New York Giants.

Someone from the last year's group will be left on the outside looking in. Will it be Carter Coughlin? Well, in his two years in the league, Coughlin has shown that he belongs in the league. Year 3 for him will be figuring out how he fits into a new defensive scheme.

Can he continue to provide depth and possibly begin to push the starters for snaps? Will he simply be a special teams plus player, or does his skillset clash with what the new regime wants out of their linebackers. We look at Coughlin's good, the great, and the ugly.

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The Good: Versatility

Giants.com

Last season Coughlin lined up everywhere, and there is no reason to think that will change in 2022. Coughlin has lined up inside and outside on the defensive line, and he has seen snaps at the second level.

That versatility is due to a highly developed football mind and good athleticism. He processes the game quickly, so he does not need to slow down while the information downloads, regardless of his position.

This allows him to play fast and use technique to overcome size issues. In this sequence of plays, you see him aligned across the defensive front. He is deployed on stunts and line movements.

On one play, he is lined up in a one-technique over the center; on the next play, he is out wide as an edge rusher; on another play, he is head up on a tight end at the point of attack.

The Great: Relentless Motor

Giants.com

Coughlin has the one thing that no coaches can ever teach and no statisticians can quantify: a high motor. It is often assumed that a player can develop a high motor, but it is not as simple as better physical fitness. It is a mentality that not many just naturally possess.

Coughlin’s motor was on display weekly while at Minnesota, and whenever he had the opportunity to show how he relentlessly hunted the ball for the Giants, he did just that.

His motor is impressive because it is not like he is a fast linebacker. He is not in the mold of the 4.5 speedsters coming out today, but some people just know how to play football, and Coughlin is just that.

In this sequence of plays, you see him used as a spy against Russell Wilson, and he can chase Wilson down when he tries to scramble.

We also see his motor on display when he comes off edge and chases a back down from behind for little to no gain.

The Ugly: Physicality

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes it is not a matter of if you are willing--we know Coughlin is willing. Intelligence is not the issue.

Sometimes, it's just that one was not blessed with enough of the things necessary to accomplish the job full-time.

In a previous clip, you saw Coughlin hold the point of attack against a tight end and make a play in the run defense. In this next sequence of plays, you see what happens when larger offensive linemen can get their hands on him, especially in the passing game.

These two plays show that when Coughlin rushed into the offensive linemen, it was difficult for him to detach from them. One was a rush from the offensive left side, and the other was a rush from the right side.

He was able to get a good initial push, but once the offensive lineman balances out and anchors down, Coughlin cannot detach.

Final Thoughts

Jeff Lange via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Coughlin is the type of player who may never find a home as a full-time starter in the NFL. He is the type of player who could spend double-digit years in the league based on that versatility and motor.

Players like that tend to be coach favorites because they are willing and able to do anything the coach asks them to do. Martindale could find a way to utilize him in a defense that will come at offenses from many different angles.

He's a smart linebacker and will find success, whether it is as an edge rusher or second-level defender. 

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