College Football Recruiting 2012: Comparing the Top 40 Recruits to NFL Stars

As a scout at heart, naturally when I look at players on film or live, I try to find another more known player to compare them to in order to give the reader a clear picture of the player's skill set. When I worked in the NFL, this was one of the very crucial things I learned, as scouts must compare players all the time.

So I'm going to give you a quick rundown of a NFL scouting exercise, and take 40 elite high school players and give you a comparison of a NFL player they are similar to in overall skill set. This should be a fun a read for all.

So let's get to comparing!

40. Channing Ward, DE

Ward is an athletic DE prospect whom I also feel can play stand-up OLB in a 3-4 scheme. He can set the edge and rush the passer in a 40 front while also standing up, rushing or even dropping off in short area coverage as a 3-4 OLB.

I liken him to Bryan Thomas of the Jets, as I feel their skill sets are in similar mold. Ward is around 6'4" and 240-250 pounds, and should be a stud in college.

39. Zeke Pike, QB

Pike reminds me a lot of Joe Flacco of the Ravens. Both are big, tall, stationary passers who have rifle arms. With a clean pocket, both QBs can sit and push the football to all levels of a defense.

They're both also 6'6" and better athletes than given credit for. With their similar stature, arm strength and type of athletic ability, this is a perfect comparison.

38. Jordan Diamond, OT

Diamond is a 6'6", 290-pound OT whom I think can hold the gate down as a LT on the flanks. He moves well, with ease, quickness and with great agility. I think he could slide in well in a zone-blocking scheme offense.

That is why a great zone-blocking LT like the Texans' Duane Brown is a great comparison for me. Both players are similar in body type and athleticism for LTs.

37. Dante Fowler, DE

Fowler is a 6'3", 240-pound DE prospect with a quick first step and a great close to finish. He's a DE's kind of DE, if you will, as his main preference is to get after the passer. 

He comes relentlessly, as chances are he is a better pure athlete than many of the blockers he faces.

Same goes for Trent Cole with the Eagles. Cole is one of the most underrated players in all of football.

36. Matt Davis, QB

Big comparison here, in a way, but I'm going with it.

Davis, with his athleticism combined with passing skills, reminds me of Tony Romo. A 6'1", 200-pound QB with a dual-threat skill set, Davis is a sheer playmaker.

Both QBs can be used on sprints and rolls to get outside the pocket and make throws on the run. They also have strong arms, but get it done mainly with great feet and agility.

35. Duron Neal, WR

A 6'0", 185-pound receiver with good quickness, play speed and natural receiving ability, Neal is a great prospect. Some say he is the next Ryan Broyles for Oklahoma.

I compare him to Jeremy Maclin of the Eagles. Great deep speed, big-play ability and good value as a return man, Maclin and Neal have similar games.

34. Zach Banner, OT

In cleats on the field, Banner stands 6'10".

Yes, 6'10".

Tack on a 305-pound frame, and you basically see he's like having a Sequoia tree at LT. But Banner can move like a receiver and mirrors well.

I think a solid comparison for him is Jered Gaither of the Ravens. Gaither stands in the 6'9" range and is over 300 pounds, as he can play both LT and RT.

33. Brian Poole, CB

A 5'11", 185-pound excellent CB, Poole reminds me of Mike Jenkins of the Cowboys. Each has a similar build, is very athletic and can play the field or the boundary role.

Poole probably plays the run a bit better than Jenkins, but they are both excellent cover men with good transition quickness and speed to carry receivers deep downfield.

32. Eddie Williams, DS

Williams is a 6'4", 200-pound future safety at Alabama. He can also play WR and OLB, but his coverage instincts, range and route recognition project him best to free safety.

Just like it did for Darren Sharper, one of the smartest safeties to ever play the game. Sharper is what we call a "natural interceptor," which is a trait that is not only rare, but highly coveted.

And Williams seems to also have it.

31. Jordan Simmons, OL

Simmons has the elite skill set of an awesome swing OL, as he can play both OT and OG. A 6'5", 335-pounder, Simmons has good athletic ability for a big man and is pretty strong at the point of attack.

He reminds me mostly of Michael Oher of the Ravens with similar size and athletic ability. Whether or not Simmons is the LT Oher is remains to be seen.

30. Ellis McCarthy, DT

Do you see McCarthy's body frame? He looks like a college senior right now; 6'4" and 311 pounds with excellent play strength and snap quickness, he's a high-level five-star recruit.

That reminds me of Shaun Rogers. Both players can play well in 30 or 40 fronts, in various roles. They combine dominant strength with good quickness and playmaking ability from the interior.

29. Kyle Murphy, OT

At 6'7" and 270 pounds, Murphy is a very, very good LT prospect. He slides, mirrors and adjusts well as a pass-protector, and can seal and reach great in the run game. 

I compare him to Jordan Gross of the Panthers. Both are pure and solid LTs who grade out well in most critical position factors and bring their lunch pails to the field every night.

28. Darius Hamilton, DE

Hamilton is a 6'4", 245-pound DE prospect with great play strength for an edge defender. I think, if he wanted to, he could tack on the proper weight and girth to grow into a DT.

Yet, his quickness and closing speed as an edge-rusher are comparable to Brian Orakpo's. They both can stand up and rush, but both are also very, very strong point-of-attack defensive players.

27. Josh Garnett, OL

A funny thing about Garnett is that while he is viewed as the No. 1 OG prospect in the nation, many colleges are recruiting him as an OT; he's that athletic, at 6'5", 275 pounds.

That is why I think a good comparison for him is Jason Smith of the Rams. Athletic with excellent feet, Smith plays RT for St. Louis, but likely is better suited for the LT position.

26. Kyle Kalis, OT

Kalis will be a valuable get for Michigan, as he can play both RT and LT at 6'5", 305 pounds. He has good enough athletic ability for LT, and is tough and strong enough at the point of attack for RT.

That is essentially the gist of Doug Free's game. The Cowboys love Free for his versatility, which allows them to be flexible with their fronts to protect Tony Romo.

25. Jarron Jones, DT

Jones is a 6'5", 290-pound DT prospect freshly de-committed from Penn State. He's long and strong in the middle, but also has good explosiveness.

I think of Kevin Williams of the Vikings when I watch tape of Jones. His game projects most similarly to the younger Williams of the Williams Wall in Minnesota. 

24. Jessamen Dunker, OT

Dunker is a former hoops player, but realized at 6'6" and more than 300 pounds that his future was in football. Yet, you easily see the basketball athleticism and huge potential Dunker has. With some seasoning, he could be a first-round pick at LT.

He reminds me a lot of Ryan Clady of the Denver Broncos. Clady is one of the best LTs in the game, as he combines great athleticism with good technique.

Once Dunker gets coached up on his technique in Gainesville, he should be solid.

23. Adolphus Washington, DE

Washington is a 6'5", 250-pound DE prospect who is another hoops player as well. His athleticism is outstanding, and his ceiling is also very, very high. There's even a chance he could play basketball in college as well.

From being a standard 4-3 DE to standing up as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme, Washington reminds me a lot of of Terrell Suggs of the Ravens. Suggs is probably stronger, but when you think of Washington, think a bit of Suggs.

22. Shaq Roland, WR

Roland is one of those receivers who just always seems to find a way to get open. He's 6'1" and 180 pounds, and I liken him to Greg Jennings of the Packers.

These are two smooth, quick, speedy athletes who can light up a secondary in the intermediate and deep passing game, not to mention good hands, they're solid RAC players. Solid comparison in my book.

21. Avery Young, OT

A 6'6", 275-pound OT with good athletic ability, easy slide movement and the feet to adjust and mirror on the edge is hard to come by—unless you're looking for one in this class.

And unless you know exactly where to find Avery Young.

And unless you know where to find a Jason Peters clone, because that's who Jones reminds me of. Peters is a former TE who still shows the same movement as a LT in Philly.

20. Cayleb Jones, WR

Jones is a 6'2", 195-pound WR with excellent athletic ability and a trait to make spectacular grabs. He has solid play speed, release quickness and an excellent catch radius.

He reminds me some of Larry Fitzgerald. Both are not burners per se, but can get deep a bit. They also are natural receivers with large strike zones and know how to shield defenders from the ball.

19. Shaq Thompson, DS

Thompson is a 6'2", 200-pound DS prospect with a great canvas of versatility. He projects best as a free safety, but he can play the run like a SS. Toss in some sneaky cover skills, and you start to think maybe he can play some boundary zone corner.

He reminds me of Laron Landry, a lot; similar athletic ability, similar playmaking, solid hitting and good in coverage. Landry and Thompson are perfect matches.

18. Rushel Shell, RB

Shell reminds me a lot of Frank Gore. At 5'11" and 215 pounds, Shell's a productive back with every-down ability. He has solid explosion, toughness to bang inside and can also scoot to the edges to head up the perimeter.

Gore is the same type of runner with a similar physical build. Whether Shell reaches Gore's level of production remains to be seen.

17. Reggie Ragland, LB

It was too easy to compare Ragland to Rolando McClain. So I went in another direction.

Karlos Dansby's direction.

Tough, ferocious against the run and downhill 3-4 fits with some 4-3 SAM in them—yeah, good comparison.

I expect big things down the line from the 6'4", 245-pound Ragland in Tuscaloosa.

16. Gunner Kiel, QB

Kiel is a 6'4", 200-pound prospect who, while he doesn't have Pike's arm strength, makes great decisions with the football. He has total command of his offense and is very accurate with the ball at all levels.

He reminds me a bit of Matt Schaub of the Texans. They both are solid in all areas, know their offense and see the field extremely well.

15. Landon Collins, DS

Collins is a player I really, really like. At 6'0" and 210 pounds, he's an excellent box safety who can double down as a ROVER/OLB. He plays the run well, but he's also a great athlete with some range to cover.

He reminds me of a prep version of Roy Williams, with better coverage skills. Collins has a chance to be a more complete player than Williams.

14. Quay Evans, DT

Explosive and strong at 6'2" and 320 pounds, Evans is a bowling ball in the middle. He can stop, stack, drop, sit and anchor in the middle to make a mess with the best of them. Pushing the pocket from the middle versus the pass is also a specialty from him.

That's why a Sedrick Ellis of the Saints comparison is not far fetched at all. Evans may be a bit heavier than Ellis, but both have similar skill sets.

13. Keith Marshall, RB

Marshall is a speedy and shifty RB prospect with quick feet, good vision and excellent explosiveness. At 5'11" and 185 pounds, Marshall is a touchdown waiting to happen.

I liken him to LeSean McCoy of the Eagles—similar quick feet, lateral explosion, burst to and through holes, and dynamite on screens.

12. John Theus, OT

Wow. Another OL prospect? Yes.

And Theus is one of the best in the country.

A 6'6", 295-pound mauler in the run game, Theus will get physical and nasty in the run game with anybody on any field. 

Eric Winston is the same way, and what's interesting about both players, is each of them are solid athletes too. They can mirror well on the edges and solidly protect the passer.

11. Jameis Winston, QB

Winston is a 6'4", 190-pound QB prospect with dual-threat abilities. He has just about every tool you need to succeed in any situation as a QB: arm strength, accuracy, vision, instincts, quick feet and leadership.

From a physical standpoint, Jason Campbell and Winston are very similar. Tall and lanky QBs with great athleticism and everything else, I think both can play with anybody.

10. Stefon Diggs, WR/RB

Diggs may be the most versatile and special all-around offensive weapon in the country. 6'0" and 190 pounds, he is a quicker than fast athlete who can play WR, RB, DS and CB, while also returning punts and kicks.

As a WR, his skill set, type of speed/quickness and playmaking ability remind me of Hakeem Nicks of the Giants. 

9. Kwon Alexander, OLB

A 6'2", 210-pound OLB with perhaps the best athleticism and most range of any defensive player in the country, Alexander is a prime time player. He defines the term "sideline to sideline," as he can beat RBs to holes and OLs with angles.

Alexander also can factor as a blitzer and can stay on the field in passing situations with ease due to his easy change of direction to cover RBs and TEs.

Michael Boley of the Giants is the same way.

8. D.J. Humphries, OT

6'6", 270 pounds and easily the most naturally gifted athlete among offensive linemen in the country, Humphries is a future All-American LT. He is a shadow to pass-rushers and gives them fits.

Immediately when I saw him on tape, the Jets' D'Brickashaw Ferguson came to mind. Look up Humphries and see for yourself.

7. Noah Spence, DE

A 6'4", 240-pound speed rusher,—and just a natural at getting after the passer—Spence is viewed as the best pass-rushing DE in America. He has a sharp first step and burst to close on the passer to finish.

He stays clean, is strong enough to convert speed to power and can do this standing up. DeMarcus Ware is my comparison for him, as Ware is the prototypical pass-rusher in football.

6. Arik Armstead, DE

Armstead is a huge DE at 6'8" and 280 pounds. He's also a great athlete, strong at the point of attack, has good feet, can close and can set the edge against run.

I also think Armstead can play DE in a 30 front for a 3-4 team and do it the way Chris Canty did in Dallas before he bolted for New York.

5. Eddie Goldman, DT

Goldman is a DT who can pretty much play almost all of the DL positions in football. From 4-3 DT to 3-4 DE, I can put Goldman everywhere except 4-3 weak-side DE.

His 6'4", 305-pound frame, along with his play strength, snap quickness and anchor ability, take me to Marcus Stroud during his days with the Bills. Stroud allowed the Bills to routinely flip from 30 to 40 fronts series to series.

4. Mario Edwards, DE

A 6'4" DE prospect who weighs in between 260 and 270 pounds, not to mention looks like a DE and moves like a receiver, Edwards is an elite player who should only get better in college at Florida State.

He reminds me of Justin Tuck, in part because of his ability to kick inside and rush from the middle on third downs, set the edge on the flanks versus the run, shed and also rush the passer with speed and quickness.

3. Andrus Peat, OT

Peat is the most complete LT prospect in the country on my board ,and now that he has added weight to his 6'7" frame to jump up to the 300-pound range, you have to love this guy.

He's very heady and cerebral, and seems to set his opponents up two, three snaps ahead. He looks like Joe Thomas of the Browns as a LT and should be a great one in college.

2. Johnathan Gray, RB

Gray is an uber-productive RB prospect with a 5'11", 195-pound frame. He has silenced skeptics on his hands, as he caught everything in his zip code at The Opening last week.

From his lateral quickness, long speed, run strength, vision, patience, foot quickness, tackle-breaking ability and natural run instincts, Gray is the high school version of how LaDainian Tomlinson looked in his Chargers heyday.

1. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

6'6". 220 pounds. 4.3 speed.

Explosiveness. Leaping ability. A huge catch radius. Quick cut ability. Strength to beat press coverage. 

Yeah, Dorial Green-Beckham is a physical beast of WR prospect. That's why he's the clone of Calvin Johnson, AKA Megatron.