Player comparisons: Some people love them, and others see no point. When I’m evaluating draft prospects, I put a lot of thought and time into comps to NFL players.
Not just because they give the reader an easy picture of players they may or may not have seen yet, but also because they a general impression of how the draft prospect fits into the modern NFL. When you go through heights and weights, combine performances, traditional and advanced metrics, and tape study, it helps a lot in evaluation to draw a similar picture from an NFL player to the prospect you’re studying.
So, to that end, here are more detailed reasonings behind the player comparisons I made for the top 50 players in the 2020 draft class, per our big board, and what they tell us about the futures of these prospects.
1. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU — Sam Bradford
When Bradford came out of Oklahoma as the first overall pick in the 2010 draft, before he was done in by injuries and early inefficient NFL offensive structures, he had freakish accuracy and an easy mobility that allowed him to flash big plays to all parts of the field. Bradford has shown these attributes on occasion through his career, but Burrow — as long as he’s in a decent offense with targets around him — has that same potential.
2. Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State — Aldon Smith
Smith was an absolute force as a pass-rusher before off-field issues unfortunately wrecked his athletic potential. But when Smith was on his game, he had the same combination of size, explosive speed, and unusual power that allowed him to total 33.5 sacks in 2011 and 2012 — the most for any NFL player in his first two seasons since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. Young absolutely has the ability to make the same kind of impact, and has All-Pro potential especially if he cleans up a few non-pass rush issues that will make him a more complete player.
3. Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State — Aqib Talib
Of all the cornerbacks in the 2020 draft class, Okudah has the best grouping of ideal traits for the position. He’s aggressive, patient when he needs to be, has the speed to track receivers all over the field, and the short-area agility to deal with quicker, smaller receivers. At the next level, he projects well as a press corner with lockdown abilities, much as Talib has been at his NFL peak.
4. Isaiah Simmons, Defense, Clemson — Brian Urlacher
It’s tough to put together a realistic comparison for Simmons, because he’s such a unique athlete. Last season, he logged more than 200 snaps each at linebacker and slot cornerback, and more than 100 each as a free safety and on the defensive line. You have to go back a ways, but Urlacher — who played hybrid safety at New Mexico before the Bears took him with the ninth overall pick in the 2000 draft — had a similar range and became the prototypical Tampa-2 ‘backer in his era. Were he picked today in a more scheme-diverse era, Urlacher would be asked to do many of the things Simmons does.
5. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma — DeAndre Hopkins
Lamb is tied in many minds on top of the receiver board with Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III, but the difference Lamb brings to the game is an alpha mentality over the middle and a willingness to go hard for the contested catch. Watching him brings Hopkins to mind, especially when it comes to consistency and toughness.
6. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama – Drew Brees
There are elements of Russell Wilson to Tua’s game, but Wilson got a lot of his high-level traits from Brees. Similarly to both quarterbacks, Tagovailoa has the ability to run a timing and rhythm passing game either in the pocket or on the move. Take out the potential injury concerns, and Tagovailoa has the clear look of a top-3 pick, and he could edge Joe Burrow out as the best quarterback in this draft class.
7. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama — Antonio Brown
No, not the Antonio Brown of recent years and recent dramas, but the Brown who proved himself to be the NFL’s best pure route-runner, and one of the league’s most explosive receivers, at the peak of his career with the Steelers. Jeudy is unquestionably the best route-runner in this draft class, but don’t minimize his speed and ability to create vertical plays. Last season, of the nine passes he caught of 20 or more air yards, four went for touchdowns.
8. Javin Kinlaw, DL, South Carolina — Stephon Tuitt
Some like Auburn’s Derrick Brown as the best interior defensive lineman in this class, but I’ll take Kinlaw overall on pure athletic potential. Kinlaw has some work to do with technique and hand use, but he’s a wrecking machine as a pass-rusher. He reminds me of Tuitt, who the Steelers stole in the second round of the 2014 draft, in his ability to take over a game with pure athleticism and power. Once Kinlaw gets his technique together, he’ll be a force multiplier on any NFL defensive front.
9. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia — Eugene Monroe
Like Monroe, the Virginia alum selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Jaguars, Thomas checks all the boxes you’d like from a power tackle with improving agility characteristics. His kick-step is a bit choppy, but he’s an agile, powerful mover, and he’s as close to “plug-and-play” as you’ll find at the tackle position in this draft class.
10. Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota — Earl Thomas
Winfield missed all but eight total games in the 2017 and 2018 seasons due to injuries, but he returned with a vengeance in 2019, grabbing seven interceptions. When Thomas came out of Texas in 2010 at 5-foot-10 and 208 pounds, there were people who thought he should move to cornerback because he didn’t fit the physical profile they wanted for the safety position. Thomas proved the doubters wrong with a formidable competitive demeanor and all the smarts you could ever want on the field. Not that Winfield projects to be Thomas in his prime — not yet, at least — but the different for Winfield between the tape and the doubts seem similar. As a pure deep safety, Winfield has no rival in this draft class, and he excels as a desperately needed position.
11. Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama — Lane Johnson
Wills is probably going in the top 10, and if you’re surprised by that, you may want to catch up with the realities of the NFL as it stands. The most important offensive lineman for the Chiefs in their Super Bowl run was right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who pitched a near-perfect postseason and played at an MVP level against the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. Wills doesn’t need to switch sides to be of franchise-level importance. Like Johnson, who has been an outstanding and highly valuable right tackle since the Eagles took him in the first round of the 2013 draft, Wills is a natural blocker with the ability to dominate in run sets and improve in his pass protection.
12. Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama — Tyreek Hill
There are two numbers you need to know when Ruggs is mentioned — the 4.27 40-yard dash he ran at the scouting combine, and the 17.5 yards per catch he averaged for Alabama over three seasons. But Ruggs isn’t just a speed guy — he has a better handle on route concepts than people might think, and in the right offense, he has the potential to take the top off any defense in the same way Tyreek Hill has for the Chiefs.
13. C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida — Bradley Roby
There are apparently some in the NFL who believe that Henderson is on the same level as Joff Okudah as an NFL prospect. From a coverage standpoint, there are similarities, and though I like Okudah’s natural aggressiveness more as a top-tier asset, Henderson is a smooth a coverage defender as you’ll see in this class. That’s why he reminds me of Roby, who the Broncos took out of Ohio State with the 31st pick in the 2014 draft. Roby has been a plus-level cornerback outside and in the slot, and Henderson has the traits to do the same.
14. Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn — Cameron Heyward
Last season, Brown played at a highly effective level all over the defensive line — from over the center to outside the tackle. He even had some off-ball snaps, and showed shocking agility for a 6-foot-5, 326-pound player. In his positional versatility and power to and through the pocket, Brown is very reminiscent of Heyward, who has been one of the NFL’s best multi-gap linemen over the last few seasons.
15. Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama — Minkah Fitzpatrick
Both Fitzpatrick and McKinney played multiple defensive positions in Nick Saban’s defense — from safety to slot cornerback to blitzing at the line. The Dolphins took Fitzpatrick with the 11th overall pick in 2018 and extended his versatility to the NFL. But when the Steelers traded for Fitzpatrick early in the 2019 season, they immediately turned him into one of the league’s best pure deep safeties. McKinney has all the tools to be a versatile hybrid player at the next level, but he could also patrol the deep third exclusively.
16. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa — Isaiah Wynn
In college, Wynn was a plus athlete with great play strength who projected well at tackle or guard. Wirfs has a similar athletic demeanor, though Wynn was a bit more fluid and exact on the move. Wherever Wirfs does line up, his NFL team will get a strength freak and weight-lifting monster with the attitude and wrestling background some offensive line coaches just can’t get enough of.
17. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah — William Jackson III
Johnson was a bit hidden at Utah — had he played in the SEC, we’d be talking about him as what he is, one of the best defensive players in this class. With great athleticism, outstanding instincts, and the ability to take his film study to the field, he’s on par with Jackson, who the Bengals selected in the first round of the 2016 draft, and who has become one of the better and more underrated inside/outside cornerbacks in the league.
18. Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville — Bryant McKinnie
One does not expect a 6-foot-7, 364-pound man to move with Becton’s agility and foot speed as a pass-blocker, and the Louisville alum can throw edge-rushers and run defenders around to a comical degree. The 6-foot-8, 360-pound McKinnie was selected seventh overall in the 2002 draft by the Vikings, and played at a very high level for Minnesota and Baltimore over a 12-year career. Becton profiles similarly in his combination of unusual size and traits for the left tackle position.
19. Patrick Queen, LB, LSU — Thomas Davis
A hybrid linebacker/safety in college back when such players were considered “tweeners” and most NFL teams didn’t know what to do with them, Davis has overcome multiple knee injuries to become one of the NFL’s modern linebacker prototypes with his intelligence and pure athleticism. Queen, who became a standout in 2019 on LSU’s championship defense, profiles similarly as an attack defender who can stop plays all over the field.
20. Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado — Sammy Watkins
Shenault may need work on his route complexity, but when you’re 6-foot-1 and 227 pounds and can drag cornerbacks all over the field as an after-the-catch weapon, we’re betting some enterprising NFL team will see his attributes and work on the rough stuff. Watkins raised similar concerns during his time at Clemson, but the physical tools were overwhelming, and the Bills took him with the fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft. Watkins hasn’t been as productive as expected (only one 1,000-yard season), but he’s capable of splash plays at any time, as he proved in the Chiefs’ 2019 postseason. Shenault has the same potential.
21. Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State — Preston Smith
There isn’t much that’s sudden in Gross-Matos’ movement, though that doesn’t make him an average pass-rusher. It’s just that he doesn’t flash off the tape as other defenders might. But like Smith, the Mississippi State alum selected by the Redskins in the second round of the 2015 draft, Gross-Matos combines a lot of desirable natural movement and strength skills, and could use more urgency and violence in his play, especially when dealing with blockers in close hand-fighting.
22. Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU — Byron Murphy
In today’s NFL, with the quick passing game at a premium, defenders who have the short-area quickness and footwork to play man and catch coverage are at a premium. Gladney has those attributes. When I wrote Murphy up last year, it was clear to me that the Washington alum, selected by the Cardinals with the 33rd overall pick, was an ideal press cornerback who needed to be with his receiver through the route, and would work well in any environment where he was asked to play a lot of man and match coverage. If you were to superimpose Murphy’s 2018 tape with Gladney’s 2019 tape, the similarities would be illuminating.
23. Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama — Chandler Jones
Injuries limited Lewis’s time on the field for the Crimson Tide. Finally healthy in 2019, Lewis had six sacks, seven quarterback hits, and 35 quarterback hurries in just 259 pass-rushing snaps. Per Pro Football Focus, his pressure rate of 19.8% ranked third among edge rushers with 100 or more pass-rushing opportunities. One could compare Lewis to any number of “Basketball player as edge-rusher” body types, but he resembles Jones in his quickness to the quarterback, wingspan and movement, and relative lack of power. Durability concerns are obvious, but when he’s healthy, Lewis is an ideal chase-and-catch weakside end.
24. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon — Ryan Tannehill
Herbert is one of the most polarizing players in this draft class. Some see him as the perfect “big guy/big arm” prospect, and will overlook his difficulties with multi-receiver reads, accuracy to the boundary, and clunkiness when throwing on the move. But he is more mobile than you might think, and his career could have a similar arc to Tannehill’s — an average quarterback for years with the Dolphins, and then, through his own development and a perfect schematic match in Tennessee, an eventual franchise asset.
25. Zack Moss, RB, Utah — Marshawn Lynch
You’ll see Moss everywhere from first to fifth or sixth on people’s running back lists, and his place on your board probably has a lot to do with what you think of his breakaway speed. Nobody is going to mistake Moss for Chris Johnson, but he’s faster and more agile on the move than he’s given credit for. And there is no better power back in this class. Last season, he forced 89 missed tackles and gained 1,042 yards after contact on just 235 rushing attempts. The combination of violence and agility make Lynch the easy comparison.
26. A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa — Trey Flowers
At 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds, Epenesa does not fit the modern speed-rusher suit. But he was incredibly productive from a number of gaps for the Hawkeyes with 11.5 sacks, 14 quarterback hits, and 31 quarterback hurries in 450 pass-rushing snaps last season. When Flowers played with the Patriots and turned himself into the type of defender who could earn a five-year, $90 million contract from the Lions, he did so by becoming an equal force on either side of the tackles. Epenesa will be highly-regarded by coaches and defensive coordinators who value positional flexibility and workable tools over raw athletic gifts.
27. Justin Madubuike, DL, Texas A&M — Chris Jones
Madubuike is one of those players who will drive you nuts at times. There are games in which he looks like the best player on the field with his quickness, hand movement, and pure power. Other times, he tends to disappear. But at his best, Madubuike has the athletic potential to turn into a player like Jones — who is now one of the NFL’s best interior pass-rushers.
28. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU — A.J. Bouye
An undrafted free agent out of Central Florida, Bouye spent his first few seasons at or near the bottom of the depth chart before injuries to others gave him a fighting chance in 2016. Since then, he’s been a great cornerback with just as much field intelligence as pure athleticism. Fulton will likely go in the first round, but he mirrors Bouye in his consistency, and smoothness to run with receivers out of press coverage.
29. Grant Delpit, S, LSU — Kenny Vaccaro
Based on pure coverage ability, Delpit only has Minnesota’s Antoine Winfield as a rival when it comes to his tape as a deep-third eraser. But his tackling needs a ton of work — ee had 20 missed tackles last season, and 44 over three seasons at LSU. Delpit compounds this issue by playing with a “hair-on-fire” demeanor that impressed from an effort standpoint, but do much for his wrap-tackling discipline. When Vaccaro came out of Texas in the 2013 draft, he had a similar Tasmanian Devil quality, and managed over the years to add good fundamentals to the mix.
30. Josh Jones, OT, Houston — Andre Dillard
Like the former Washington State standout, who was selected 23rd overall by the Eagles in the 2019 draft, Jones has some refinements to make, but presents as an ideal linchpin from an athletic and developmental standpoint. Power and core strength might be issues in the short term. But if you want a pure pass-blocking left tackle, it’ll be hard to do better in this draft class.
31. K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU — Danielle Hunter
A third-round pick of the Vikings in 2015, Hunter came out of LSU with stupid-good athleticism, and almost nothing resembling a pass-rush plan. Over time, and used to his own benefit in a defensive front in which he could use his speed to the quarterback as he expanded everything else, Hunter become one of the NFL’s best pass-rushers. Chaisson has the same level of raw ability, and a similar developmental curve. It will be crucial to that development that he’s not asked to do too much, too soon.
32. D.Andre Swift, RB, Georgia — Giovani Bernard
One doesn’t want to put a Darren Sproles comparison on the highly versatile Swift just yet, but he has that potential if he works with more power and expands his role in the passing game. Like Bernard, the North Carolina alum selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 2013 draft, Swift can be a great complementary force despite obvious size concerns.
33. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU — JuJu Smith-Schuster
Jefferson is believed by some to be more of a slot target than an outside guy, but if you’re LSU, and Ja’Marr Chase is your main outside guy, and he’s destroying every cornerback he faces… well, as they say down south, you dance with who brung you. In the right offense, Jefferson projects more as an ideal hybrid receiver, capable of beating defenders with option routes on the inside, and sneaky speed up the seam and boundary. That’s very much what Smith-Schuster has become for the Steelers.
34. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama — Richard Sherman
When Sherman came into the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2011, he had a few rough moments early on. But over time, Sherman used his insane competitive demeanor, on-field intelligence, and physical attributes to become a true old-school lockdown cornerback. Diggs absolutely has all the tools to become that type of player. Whether you see Sherman, or Aqib Talib, or Jalen Ramsey when you watch Diggs, that’s pretty much the prototype.
35. Ashtyn Davis, S, Cal — Darnell Savage
When I watched Savage, the Maryland alum who the Packers selected with the 21st pick in the 2019 draft, I saw a similar player to what I now see in Davis in that Savage mixed an ascending skill set with a kamikaze playing style that needed a bit of seasoning before he was always going to be in the right place. But Savage’s potential was obvious, and so is Davis’. I compared Savage to Bob Sanders, and Davis has some elements of Sanders’ excellent play, as well.
36. Ross Blacklock, DL, TCU — Timmy Jernigan
At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, Blacklock fits best in the NFL with the team that will realize he’s a one-gap penetrator as both a pass-rusher and a run-stopper. Similarly to Jernigan, who the Ravens took in the second round of the 2014 draft, Blacklock will be best-served in a line with bigger interior guys so that he can run and chase after moving through open gaps and double teams.
37. Troy Dye, LB, Oregon — Deion Jones
Nobody will mistake Dye for an old-school run-thumping linebacker at 6-foot-4 and 224 pounds, but in today’s NFL, one-dimensional run-stoppers aren’t of much use. What today’s NFL teams need are ‘backers who can act as coverage spies — essentially big safeties — on every down. Dye has that, and he reminds me of Jones in his ability to run everywhere from straight up the field on post routes, to the flat, to the seam. Like Jones, he has the potential to be the epicenter of an advanced pass defense.
38. Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma — Kwon Alexander
The Buccaneers got Alexander as a fourth-round steal in the 2015 draft, in part because at that time, 6-foot-1, 227-pound base linebackers were not the norm. But over time, Alexander used his heat-seeking, ultra-quick playing style to become an asset with both the Bucs and the 49ers. Murray isn’t the first guy you want in pass coverage, but if you’re looking for that same kind of fearless field-eating type, he’s your guy.
39. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin — Shaun Alexander
As was true of the 2005 NFL MVP, the highly productive Taylor is able to make big plays consistently despite a running style that occasionally has him dancing behind the line of scrimmage when he should be attacking the gap. It’s a workable issue, as are Taylor’s issues in the passing game, but it could be too soon to categorize him as an every-down back.
40. Marlon Davidson, DL, Auburn — Javon Hargrave
The Steelers took a shot on Hargrave out of South Carolina State in the third round of the 2016 draft, and he rewarded their faith in his efforts by becoming one of the better one-gap speed tackles in the league. Like Hargrave back then, Davidson is a body-type tweener who will be best served with an NFL team that will let him pin his ears back between the guard and tackle.
41. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson — A.J. Green
Among all receivers in the 2020 draft class — and it’s certainly a loaded group — Higgins has proven to be one of the best deep receivers, and he has no equal as a contested catch receiver. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Higgins also has a freaky catch radius that brings A.J. Green to mind — especially at his peak, when Green was bringing in all of Andy Dalton’s errant fastballs.
42. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson — Darius Slay
It’s unfortunate that Terrell is remembered mostly for the nightmare game he had against LSU in Clemson’s national championship loss, when Tigers receiver Ja’Marr Chase demolished him, and he allowed five catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. In truth, Chase ate up just about every cornerback he faced last season, and outside of that game, Terrell showed an aggressive style and positive catch removal plan that brings Slay to mind.
43. Clyde Edwards-Helaire — Ray Rice
First, we’ll have to set Rice’s off-field stuff aside for just a second. Edwards-Helaire compares to Rice on the field only, and he does so because he is able to do all the things Rice was able to do for a while in a relatively small package. Not only can Edwards-Helaire run power impressively for his size (5-foot-8, 207 pounds), but he’s also a good receiver, and he’s been working on his blocking with LSU coach (and former Patriots stalwart) Kevin Faulk. He’s an ideal complement to a complex offense in which the running backs are asked to do many things.
44. Cesar Ruiz, IOL, Michigan — Maurkice Pouncey
It’s a relatively weak class for interior offensive linemen, but there’s no way you can watch Ruiz’s tape and leave him off any top 50 list. The 6-foot-3, 307-pound Ruiz is as flawless and plug-and-play as any center or guard you’ll see in this class. The Steelers took Pouncey in the first round of the 2010 draft in part because he also was impressively free of flaws, and was thus able to have a positive effect right away at a very tough position.
45. Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia — Trent Brown
At the scouting combine, the 6-foot-6, 350-pound Wilson said that veteran tackle Trent Brown was the main guy he watched, citing Brown’s “vicious punch.” It’s an apt comparison for the power tackle. Selected in the seventh round of the 2015 draft by the 49ers, the 6-foot-8, 355-pound Brown overcame concerns about his size/agility mix and lack of collegiate experience to become a solid player for the 49ers (2017), Patriots (2018), and Raiders (2019) in consecutive seasons.
46. Jordan Elliott, DL, Missouri — Jurrell Casey
The Titans took Casey out of USC in the third round of the 2011 draft, and over time, he became one of the NFL’s best and most underrated multi-gap ends — able to rush with authority from nose tackle to end. At 6-foot-4 and 302 pounds, and with estimable quickness for his size, Elliott has already proven at the collegiate level that he can win up and down the line.
47. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor — Josh Gordon
With a background in basketball and track, it’s no surprise that Mims shows the ability to run past defensive backs and make impressive vertical catches. He needs work to bring a more consistent catch rate to the field, and his route tree is limited at best, but he brings Gordon to mind — another Baylor receiver who made the NFL his own personal playground for a while before substance abuse issues derailed his career. Mims, with no such issues, could be a remarkable investment over time.
48. Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne — Kam Chancellor
Dugger got no offers from major programs and took the one offer he got, from Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina. Over five seasons, he totaled 237 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, 36 passes defensed, and 10 interceptions — mostly against schools like St. Augustine’s, Tusculum, Mars Hill, Limestone, and Catawba. He showed up nicely at the Senior Bowl to prove his edge against better competition.
Dugger has more range than Chancellor did — there were those who thought Chancellor should be a linebacker when he came out of Virginia Tech. But Chancellor landed in the perfect spot — Pete Carroll’s Cover-1/Cover-3 defense — and became the Legion of Boom’s shot-caller and enforcer. Dugger shows the same toughness and competitive temperament. It will be fascinating to see how he adapts to the NFL, but the building blocks are certainly there.
49. Willie Gay Jr., LB, Mississippi State — Cory Littleton
Off-field issues and team suspensions will have NFL teams looking twice when going beyond Gay’s tape, but on the field, he’s one of the ideal sideline-to-sideline linebackers, just as adept when in coverage as he is when he’s asked to chase down a running back. Littleton, an undrafted free agent in 2016, turned his own athleticism into Pro Bowl-level talent with the Rams, and a three-year, $35.25 million contract with the Raiders this offseason.
50. Jordan Love, QB, Utah State — Jay Cutler
At the scouting combine, Love referred to the 17 interceptions he threw in the 2019 season as “17 learning moments.” Love also said that “I’m going to be me,” which spoke more to his personal being when interviewing with NFL teams, but it could also describe his mentality as a very talented, but raw, thrower of the football who will try to make plays with his arm that the rest of the NFL might be very eager to exploit. Through Jay Cutler’s NFL career, that was always his primary negative issue — his belief in his prodigious talent had him making enough ill-advised throws to be a reliable frustration. We’ll have to wait and see how much Love learns from those “learning moments.”
