Dan Quinn knows a good defensive lineman when he sees one.

Dan Quinn knows a good defensive lineman when he sees one.

The Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator has spent his entire career coaching on the defensive side of the ball and has seen some of the best.

In the NFL, he coached the defensive lines of the San Francisco 49ers (from 2003 to 2004), Miami Dolphins (2005-06), New York Jets (2007-08) and Seahawks (2009-2010). In those stints, he worked with players like six-time Pro Bowler Jason Taylor, four-time Pro Bowler Bryant Young, and four-time Pro Bowler Kris Jenkins.

Last season, he coached one of the best defenses of all time en route to the Seahawks� dominant Super Bowl XLVIII win over the Denver Broncos. But throughout all the NFL standouts and Pro Bowlers, there�s one young player who stands out as one of his favorites: Patriots first-round pick Dominique Easley.

For two seasons (2011 to 2012), Quinn served as the Florida Gators� defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. During those years, Easley played in 23 of his 32 career collegiate games. From what Quinn saw, he believes this defensive tackle has what it takes to succeed in the NFL.

�I really do because of � one, the mind-set of the guy in terms of attitude. You�ve been around the guys who have it, and this guy has it,� Quinn said. �Two, he really has some unique skills because of that unique quickness that he has. I think when you combine those two things � mentally strong and tough, and then add the initial quickness part of it � I think he�ll find his own role how he can help the team. I think once that starts to work itself out and when he gets healthy, he�ll be rolling.�

When Quinn came to Florida and watched the team for the first time, Easley�s speed was the first thing to stand out.

At 6-2, 285 pounds, Easley didn�t have the size of your prototypical defensive tackle, but impressed with his quickness off the line of scrimmage. Quinn said Easley was his most disruptive when he used his �cat quickness off the ball.� You add in his quick hands, and SEC offensive linemen often didn�t stand a chance.

Easley�s career with the Gators, of course, was disrupted by two ACL injuries. After playing in six games as a true freshman, he started all 12 regular-season games for Quinn in 2011 before suffering his first knee injury.

Easley impressed the coaching staff as he worked his way back from rehab and started 11 games the next season.

After he left last year to join the Seahawks, Quinn stayed in touch with Easley. He remembers talking to him in September, after Easley suffered another torn ACL. After seeing him recover from the first ACL injury, Quinn believes it�ll be the same for Easley this time around.

�Really, you just had a sense that the guy is a relentless worker. There was no doubt that this setback was going to hold him back,� Quinn said. �When he got hurt again, I talked to him that night or the night after and he was kind of already onto, �Alright, I�m going to get surgery and I�ll be back.� He�s really got an attitude about him, from the mind-set of what it takes � he�s tough.�

At Florida, Quinn relied on Easley�s versatility. He played the lineman everywhere from defensive end to defensive tackle to nose tackle. When asked if there was anyone he could compare Easley to, Quinn pointed to Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins.

�You know how [Atkins] can get on the edge fast?� Quinn said. �I think that�s one of the things that Dom does, where he can get on the edge on you real quick. He�s not a big guy, played at 285-290, but even then he was real lean.�

�I think the last thing about him that you�d remark about is, for a big guy, he�s got great stamina to play. That relentless mind-set like he just keeps attacking. I think that�s another thing that�s unique about him. [There are times] I see a d-lineman where the effort is up and down, and with him that was never the case.�

When the Patriots selected Easley in this month�s draft, it was reported that people in the Seattle war room appeared deflated. The Seahawks had been set to pick three selections later, at No. 32. Soon after the Patriots took Easley, the Seahawks traded out of the first round.

Quinn wouldn�t confirm if Easley was his team�s first-round target, but he didn�t hide his feelings for the newest New England Patriot.

�You�d have to talk to [general manager] John [Schneider] and those guys on that. They keep it pretty tight-lipped on when and where, and that kind of stuff, but I had a blast coaching him,� Quinn said. �I really did. He was one of my favorite players to coach.�