Kemari Copeland

Kemari Copeland is a compact interior defensive lineman who wins with power. He took one of the longest roads in the class to reach the ACC. The Virginia Beach native, who played high school ball at Floyd E. Kellam, started at Army and played seven games as a freshman in 2022. He then moved to Iowa Western Community College, where he helped win a national title in 2023 with 38 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He came to Virginia Tech as a high-upside transfer, but an injury held him to four games and six tackles in 2024. Copeland broke out as a redshirt junior in 2025, with 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and an interception over 12 games. One of those games made school history: he became the first Hokie defensive tackle since 1995 with at least three sacks in a single game. Draft Countdown lists him at 6-2 and 290 pounds and points to a 675-pound squat and a 400-pound bench. That strength shows when he fires off the ball with a quick first step and low pads to shoot through gaps. WalterFootball's Charlie Campbell ranks him the No. 10 defensive tackle on his board, at 6-1 and 287 pounds, and projects him in Rounds 3 to 5. The open questions are about consistency, not effort. Scouts want a full season of steady production, better side-to-side range when chasing plays in space, and more accurate hands on his pass-rush moves. If those come together in his final season, Draft Countdown sees a path to a three-down interior role in the NFL.