Opinion: NFL Draft Top 10 player comparisons

Every draft cycle it is tradition to create superlatives and NFL player comparisons for some of the most notable prospects in the upcoming draft, so let’s focus on the top 10 prospects in this draft and find the most reasonable player comparisons.

1. Abdul Carter, ED, Penn State - NFL Player Comp: Von Miller

It is very easy to look at Carter with the No. 11 Penn State jersey on and compare him to all the Penn State greats who came before him. However, as a former off-ball linebacker, he is much bigger and more explosive than people give him credit for.

I see shades of Von Miller off the edge at Texas A&M. Miller was disruptive off the edge and blended elite speed with physicality at the line of scrimmage. With Carter, those same traits flashed in big games against teams like Ohio State and Notre Dame.

2. Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado - NFL Player Comp: Champ Bailey

Hunter will be a swiss-army knife for whatever team drafts him in the first round. However, he will need to primarily focus on one position and I think cornerback suits him the best.

He has All-Pro potential with his elite athleticism and we can begin to compare him to multiple two-way collegiate superstars like Champ Bailey who successfully transitioned to corner at the next level.

Bailey was a ball magnet recording 52 interceptions over his career. Hunter’s ball skills and experience on offense should only help him in that case.

3. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State - NFL Player Comp: Maurice Jones-Drew

Jeanty is the last blue chip prospect in this draft class and if I wanted to, I could compare him to some of the all-time greats. However, that would be undeserving so early in his football career.

In the right system, Jeanty should flourish and become one of the best running back talents in the NFL sooner than later. His contact balance as a ball carrier and underrated receiving production remind me of Maurice Jones-Drew in his prime.

Jones-Drew was short but earned extra yardage by breaking tackles or hitting the acceleration button. I saw many of the same plays from Jeanty in his Heisman campaign last season.

4. Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL) - NFL Player Comp: Jordan Love

Ward is a polarizing prospect similar to most of the quarterbacks in this class. He has been able to separate himself from the rest of quarterbacks due to his elevated performance at a bigger program this past season.

His arm talent and traits for a prospect are undeniable and with his unique throw release, his aggressiveness when layering passes down field display his potential gunslinger mentality. Jordan Love was similar coming out of Utah State and it has been in full effect for Love in Green Bay.

5. Armand Membou, OL, Missouri - NFL Player Comp: Tyler Smith

Instead of inheriting the position as the best offensive lineman in this draft, Membou has developed into that position over the course of the season. His size, length and athleticism should allow him to reach his ceiling.

An All-Pro lineman in Tyler Smith, is a perfect match for what Membou can bring to the table as a lineman who has the versatility to play inside and outside on the offensive line.

Smith was a raw draft prospect who needed a heavy load of development in Dallas unlike Membou who would already be ahead of the curve in that aspect.

6. Will Campbell, OL, LSU - NFL Player Comp: Peter Skoronski

Now Campbell can prove me wrong by becoming a great tackle in the NFL. However, his arm length is something that can’t be ignored when it comes to how teams want to value him.

There are many tackles in college who had to transition to guard at the next level due to similar concerns and Peter Skoronski was one of them when he was coming out of Northwestern.

The Titans ultimately drafted him and he has been an impactful starter at guard. This pattern hints at the same career path for Campbell.

7. Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State - NFL Player Comp: Taysom Hill on steroids

Warren is another prospect where I don’t want to go overboard when comparing him to all-time great tight ends. He won the John Mackey Award for best tight end in the nation and he became the focal point of the Penn State passing offense in 2024.

However, he did establish himself as a potential Taysom Hill-type player as Penn State ran different formations with him under center. Warren played quarterback in high school and initially committed to play quarterback at Virginia Tech before decommitting.

There could be a world where the team who selects Warren needs a game changer to design certain packages around and view him in the way New Orleans viewed Hill.

8. Mason Graham, DT, Michigan - NFL Player Comp: Christian Wilkins

Graham was a centerpiece of a potent Wolverines defense over his collegiate career, which included being a catalyst for the 2023 national championship team. He never had the elite production but his presence was felt in the most pivotal moments.

Very similarly, Christian Wilkins when he came out of Clemson in 2019 was an impact contributor on a national champion Clemson Tigers defense.

Wilkins was seen as undersized for a defensive tackle due to his short arms, which Graham possesses as well.

It will be intriguing to see how Graham will translate within his unique frame at the next level as similar archetypes usually need surrounding pieces and the right scheme to be successful.

9. Jalon Walker, ED, Georgia - NFL Player Comp: Haason Reddick

Walker is just another athletic specimen that the Georgia Bulldogs have developed over the last three seasons. His pass rush upside blended with a unique ability to drop into coverage when required is special.

Walker shares many traits with All-Pro pass rusher Haason Reddick who had to develop gradually into the player he is today. He was positioned primarily off the ball in Arizona before moving into a primary edge rusher role for the Panthers and Eagles.

There are shades of Reddick in Walker’s game that tell me with the correct development process he will be a star in the making.

10. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona - NFL Player Comp: Drake London

This player comparison has been made throughout the entirety of this college football season and it just makes too much sense.

McMillan is a big body receiver with a huge catch radius that he uses in contested catch situations while also being an underrated prospect after the catch at his size.

It feels like I am describing what Drake London has done in his first three seasons in the NFL.

Similarly to London, he could very well be selected as the first true wide receiver prospect off the board and become the building block of a team’s wide receiving core.

Owen Daszko is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email opd5073@psu.edu.