Kemari Copeland
Kemari Copeland  DL  Virginia Tech | NFL Draft 2027 Souting Report - Portrait Image
Kemari Copeland
Height
6-2
Weight
290
College
Virginia Tech
Position
DL
Class
Senior
Home town
Virginia Beach, VA
82.0
Player Rating
22
PositionRank (DL)
4.78
FortyYD Time
Sacks
4.5
Fumbles Forced
Tackles
48
Sol tackles
12

Kemari Copeland DL Virginia Tech |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Jersey: #83 SUB-POSITION: NT/DT
Last Updated: 08/30/2026
Draft Year: 2027
FORTY time: 4.78 seconds (80%*)
Measurables:
Height: 6-2 (22%*) Weight: 290 (57%*)
Forty: 4.78 (O) (80%*)
0% 100%
(C) - NFL Combine (P) - Pro Day (O) - Other (HS) -Estimated from High School Combine
For an explanation of how the (HS) data is calculated see this article
Jersey: #83
SUB-POSITION: NT/DT
Last Updated: 08/30/2026
Draft Year: 2027
Forty time: 4.78 seconds (80%*)
Measurables:
0% 100%
Height: 6-2 (22%*) Weight: 290 (57%*)
Forty: 4.78 (O) (80%*)
(C) - NFL Combine (P) - Pro Day (O) - Other
(HS) -Estimated from High School Combine
For an explanation of how the (HS) data is calculated see this article
Overall Rating: 82.0 / 100
Stock Up
Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced
Offense Rating:
75%
Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects.
Tackling:
73%
Pass Rush:
77%
Run Defense:
79%
DRAFT PROJECTION: 5th
Overall Rank: #149 Position rank: #22 (DL)
College Games: 23 College Snaps: 566
Draft Profile: Bio
Copeland took a winding road to the ACC. Out of Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, he began at Army in 2022, appearing in seven games, before moving to Iowa Western Community College in 2023, where he recorded 38 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks and helped the Reivers win the NJCAA Division I national championship.

He landed at Virginia Tech and became a starter, playing all 12 games in 2025 and leading the team with 4.5 sacks while adding 48 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and an interception.

His signature game came in a 42-34 overtime win over Cal on October 24, when he posted seven tackles and three sacks and earned ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week. For the season he was named third-team All-ACC, emerging as a productive interior disruptor with plus quickness for the position.
Scouting Report: Strengths
  • Quick, twitchy get-off for an interior body with sharp snap timing
  • Controlled run defender who stays low and wins with leverage
  • Slips through traffic and trash to locate the ball carrier
  • Compact power to sink, anchor and create lift at the point of attack
  • Efficient production for a rotational role, five sacks and 20 pressures
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
  • Short, compact build with below-average arm length for the position
  • Longer blockers can lock him out and wash him on angle blocks
  • Pass-rush plan is a limited bag beyond quickness and effort
  • Faced ACC fronts and must prove the disruption holds against bigger NFL guards
Scouting Report: Summary
A compact, quick-twitch interior defender at Virginia Tech, Copeland wins with leverage, snap quickness and a nonstop motor rather than length or bulk. He stays low and leveraged as a run defender, slipping through traffic to find the ball carrier, and has the compact power to sink and anchor at the point of attack. He flashed efficient rush production for a rotational role, with five sacks and 20 pressures across 12 games.

However, his short frame and stubby arms are a real limitation; longer blockers can lock him out and wash him on angle blocks, and his pass-rush plan is still a limited bag beyond quickness and effort. Having faced ACC fronts, he must also prove the disruption holds against bigger, longer NFL guards.

Overall, Copeland projects as a rotational interior plugger whose get-off, leverage and instincts make him disruptive against the run, with a defined early-down and sub-package role at the next level. He fits a one-gap, attacking front that lets him shoot gaps and play on the move rather than absorb blocks, and a team that prizes quickness and effort up the middle will bet on the traits. He will not be a full-time answer at the next level, but the quickness and motor let him carve out a disruptive rotational role early.

How other scouting services rate Kemari Copeland (Overall Rank)

All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
122.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
26.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance. For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.

*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.