2015 NFL Mock Draft: Player Comparisons and Predictions for Top Prospects

Player comparisons are one of the coolest things about the predraft process. There's usually rhyme or reason to the comp, but because no two people are identical, the same can be said for players in the NFL.  

Also, the varying systems that NFL teams and coaches run can create differentiation between two athletes with physical similarities.

Still, the comparisons serve as a fun way to start a conversation about NFL prospects. In this Round 1 mock, we'll focus on three of the best prospects in this year's draft, and we'll try to draw similarities between them and current NFL players.

The three spotlighted players have their names highlighted on the table below. A deeper look at each prospect and his comparison is below the table.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
2	Tennessee Titans	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Leonard Williams, DL, USC
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5	Washington Redskins	Randy Gregory, DE/OLB. Nebraska
6	New York Jets	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
7	Chicago Bears	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
8	Atlanta Falcons	Shane Ray OLB/DE, Missouri
9	New York Giants	Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
10	St. Louis Rams	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
11	Minnesota Vikings	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
12	Cleveland Browns	DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, Florida
14	Miami Dolphins	La'el Collins, OT, LSU
15	San Francisco 49ers	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
16	Houston Texans	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
17	San Diego Chargers	Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
23	Detroit Lions	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
24	Arizona Cardinals	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
25	Carolina Panthers	Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
26	Baltimore Ravens	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
27	Dallas Cowboys	Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU
28	Denver Broncos	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Florida)
29	Indianapolis Colts	Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
30	Green Bay Packers	Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
31	Seattle Seahawks	Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
32	New England Patriots	Arik Armstead, DE/OLB, Oregon

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

NFL Comparison: Roddy White

At 6'1", 203 pounds, Amari Cooper is built similarly to White, and his route running is even more polished than the Atlanta Falcons great. During the 2014 season, Cooper led the nation in receptions with 124. 

Leading that statistical category hasn't always led to greatness in the NFL. Since the stat was kept dating back to 1956, only the Texas Tech Red Raiders' Michael Crabtree and Western Michigan Broncos' Greg Jennings have enjoyed notable success in the NFL.  

I'm not sure either of those men would be considered true stars.

Cooper could be different if he remains healthy. He has a little more burst than White, and if he lands in the right system with the right quarterback, he could excel in the NFL.

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks also sees the comparison between Cooper and White. 

Danny Shelton, DT, Washington

NFL Comparison: Dontari Poe

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

The size, speed and power combination Danny Shelton possesses makes it hard not to see some of the Kansas City Chiefs' young nose tackle. 

Dan Meehan of Chicago Now breaks down Shelton, as he is definitely a possibility for the Chicago Bears at No. 7 or if the team decides to trade back to add picks.

Meehan writes:

"

Shelton is a behemoth of human being, a mountain of a man if you will. He is right around 6'2" 343-pound defensive tackle. A weight to which he pumped his fist at the senior bowl upon announcement of his weight at Senior Bowl this past weekend. His combine could look similar to that of Dontari Poe of the Chiefs in the way of test results. Five-second 40 time, 30-plus reps of 225, 30-plus-inch vertical 9.5 foot broad jump, etc, etc.

"

For a kid that big, those would be pretty impressive numbers. As the Bears appear set to move to a 3-4 defensive scheme, an anchor like Poe in the middle of the defensive line is a crucial addition.

If new general manager Ryan Pace is convinced Shelton can be that, it'll be tough to pass on him.

Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington

NFL Comparison: Derrick Brooks

Comparing a collegiate player to a Hall of Famer who never missed a professional game and who was one of the best outside linebackers in the history of the NFL is bold, but that's the type of on-field presence and athlete Shaq Thompson is.

At 6'1", 228 pounds, Thompson's physical stature is very similar to that of Brooks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend just retired at the end of the 2008 season, so it isn't as if he played in a league that will be that much different from the one Thompson is headed for. 

From a leadership and speed standpoint, Thompson has the goods.

He has displayed his quickness and agility as a two-way player with the Huskies. Brooks was also blessed with some wiggle that made him especially tough after interceptions—of which he had 25 in his illustrious career.

Outside linebackers who best fit a 4-3 scheme don't get a lot of love in the first round of the NFL draft, but Thompson could make an instant impact with teams like the New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys.