NFL Comparisons for Top 10 College Football Players
We’ve reached the midpoint of the 2015 college football season, and what a ride it has been thus far. We’ve had upsets, surprising emerging teams, key injuries and suspensions and even high-profile coach firings and retirements (happy trails, Steve Spurrier). And the best part is we have another half of the season left.
It’s an excellent time to look back at the season thus far and pick the top 10 players in the college game. These are guys who’ve stood out via stats, talent or both in the season’s first half and will have a big role in how the rest of 2015 will play out.
These guys will all play on Sundays, too. So let’s take a look at their NFL comparisons. One note: Injured players, such as Georgia’s Nick Chubb and Pitt’s James Conner, were not included in this ranking.
10. Notre Dame LB Jaylon Smith
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Despite a 24-22 loss at Clemson, Notre Dame remains in the thick of College Football Playoff contention. The Fighting Irish appear much improved from 2014. The defense is better, too.
That unit is led by junior linebacker Jaylon Smith, who has made an impact all over the field. Smith has 42 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one sack.
He makes plays in the backfield, in coverage and from sideline to sideline with excellent speed, athleticism and tackling ability. Should he decide to declare, he’ll be a prime NFL draft candidate next spring.
The NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, a former pro scout, recently told Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman that Smith reminds him of former San Francisco 49ers' star Patrick Willis, a seven-time Pro Bowler who recently retired due to a chronic toe injury. If Smith can match Willis' production, he'll have a great NFL career.
9. Baylor WR Corey Coleman
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Even with quarterback Bryce Petty off to the NFL, Baylor’s offense hasn’t missed a beat in 2015 as the nation’s top overall scoring unit. Junior wide receiver Corey Coleman has made Seth Russell’s transition as the starting quarterback particularly seamless.
Coleman has 31 receptions for 678 yards and 13 touchdowns and is averaging an impressive 21.9 yards per catch. He stands just 5’11,” 190 pounds but has established himself as perhaps the top deep threat in the college game.
He doesn’t have prototypical NFL size but can still be productive at the next level. A nice comparison would be Detroit Lions wideout Golden Tate, who has been consistently impactful in the pro game, making 99 catches for 1,331 yards with four touchdowns last fall. Tate is 5'10", one inch shorter than Coleman.
8. Florida CB Vernon Hargreaves
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Florida has been one of the nation’s biggest surprises this fall. The Gators went from 7-5 in Will Muschamp’s final season at the helm to unbeaten and No. 8 nationally headed into Saturday’s Top 10 showdown at No. 6 LSU. While an improved offense led by now-suspended redshirt freshman quarterback Will Grier has been a factor, a nasty, tough defense has carried more than its share of the load too.
One of the biggest keys to that defense? Junior cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III. He was a second-team Associated Press All-American as a sophomore and has been a difference-maker again in 2015.
He already has three interceptions (which is tied for 15th nationally) and consistently persuades opposing quarterbacks to throw away from his side of the field, which is its own benefit.
He is a highly effective, highly confident cover cornerback, two traits that will translate well to the NFL. Hargreaves models himself after boisterous Seattle Seahawks corner Richard Sherman, as he told NFL.com's Chase Goodbread.
"I don't think I'm close to where I need to be, but you have to be confident at corner. I love Richard Sherman," he said. "I love how he plays, how he talks, I love everything about him, really. You just have to be confident playing corner."
While he stands four inches shorter than the 6’3” Sherman, he compares favorably to the Seattle corner otherwise. If Hargreaves decides to enter the NFL draft next spring, pro teams will be drooling over the opportunity to add him to their secondary.
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7. Cal QB Jared Goff
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This season, one of the nation’s best-kept secrets is finally getting his due. Cal has become one of the nation’s most improved programs, going from 1-11 in 2013 to 5-7 last fall to 5-1 and a sure postseason appearance this fall. Why? A high-powered offense led by junior quarterback Jared Goff.
Goff, a prototypical pocket passer who is 6’4”, 215 pounds, had a great sophomore season, throwing for 3,973 yards with 35 touchdowns against seven interceptions.
Through six games, Goff has already thrown for 1,970 yards with 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions (five of which came in last week’s loss at Utah). He has thrived in Cal’s Air Raid offense but has the arm and presence to transition to a more traditional pro-style system. He is considered a top-10 pick in next spring’s NFL draft, should he choose to leave Cal early, per CBS Sports' Rob Rang.
Who does he compare to? How about Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who played in a pass-happy offense at Texas A&M and has made a solid transition to the NFL game.
6. Ohio State DE Joey Bosa
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Ohio State has struggled at times while maintaining its unbeaten record, losing a bit of its 2014 national title afterglow. But there’s no denying that the Buckeyes roster is absolutely loaded with talent, and one of the biggest talents is junior defensive end Joey Bosa.
Bosa missed the season opener while suspended due to a violation of team rules, but he still has 20 tackles, six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks this season. He is a powerful edge-rusher with excellent strength and a great motor capable of terrorizing any opposing left tackle he comes across.
His frame has drawn comparisons to one of the NFL’s best overall defenders, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt. Bosa is a potential top overall pick should he declare for the NFL draft next spring, per CBS Sports' Rob Rang. If he can approximate Watt’s pro production, his new employer will be happy indeed.
5. Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche
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Ole Miss is again one of college football’s most intriguing teams this fall, and while the Rebels’ high-flying offense has gained plenty of acclaim, you can’t sleep on the “Land Sharks” defense. Its most important piece is junior defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who has performed like one of the game’s best overall players in his third season in Oxford.
Nkemdiche has 17 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, but those numbers don’t really reflect his effect on the game. The 6’4”, 296-pound prospect has received constant double-teams this season and has still fought through some to make an impact on opposing offenses. He's also making himself felt on offense, with three combined rushing and receiving scores.
He is a likely top-five pick should he declare for the NFL draft next spring, with SI.com's Chris Burke projecting him as the top overall pick to the woeful Detroit Lions. That would be fitting, considering his play resembles that of former Lion star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who is now plying his trade on the Miami defensive line. Nkemdiche shouldn’t follow Suh’s reputation for dirty on-field play, but if his game stands up to scrutiny, one NFL team will have a great tackle.
4. Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott
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Following 2014’s national title run, Ohio State was the nation’s clear No. 1 team entering this season. The Buckeyes remain unbeaten, but it hasn’t been easy, with close calls against the likes of Northern Illinois and Indiana. Urban Meyer’s offense has been inconsistent following Tom Herman’s departure to become Houston’s head coach, but one thing has been steady: Ezekiel Elliott.
The junior tailback had a huge role in the Buckeyes’ march to the title, finishing last season with three consecutive 200-yard rushing efforts, including a 246-yard, four-touchdown night in the national title game against Oregon. And when Ohio State has needed him this fall, Elliott has answered the bell.
He has 835 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Elliott stands 6’0,” 225 pounds and is a punishing runner with great power, speed and quickness.
Elliott can make a difference catching passes too. He’s a complete back. For his NFL counterpart, how about Indianapolis Colts tailback Frank Gore, who has a similar mix of all-around skills? Gore has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in eight of the last nine seasons and made at least 40 receptions from 2006 to 2010. Any NFL team that drafts Elliott would surely be happy with that kind of career resume.
3. Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett
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Texas A&M has emerged as a Top 10 team entering Saturday’s showdown with Alabama, and the Aggies’ vastly improved defense under new defensive coordinator John Chavis stands out as a huge reason.
Of course, it helps when you inherit a piece like sophomore defensive end Myles Garrett. He's 6’5”, 262 pounds and is perhaps the best edge-rusher in college football, with tremendous speed, quickness and motor.
Last fall, he had a great freshman season, finishing with 14 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. He set an SEC freshman single-season sack record, breaking the mark set by South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney, who was the top overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft by the Houston Texans. Garrett has picked up right where he left of under Chavis’ watch, piling up 7.5 sacks in A&M’s first five games.
His NFL comparison is obvious: Clowney. Both are fast with excellent size and pass-rush skills and are capable of making games miserable for opposing left tackles. Garrett doesn’t have to look far to see a role model for his game, and that bodes well for his immediate future in pro football.
2. TCU QB Trevone Boykin
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Despite a depleted, struggling defense, TCU remains unbeaten and firmly in consideration for the College Football Playoff. Much of the credit goes to the Horned Frogs’ high-flying offense, which is keyed by senior quarterback Trevone Boykin.
A year ago, he led the Frogs’ breakout with a huge junior season. He threw for 3,901 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and added 707 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
He has kept up the pace and then some this fall. Boykin has 2,103 yards passing with 21 touchdowns against five interceptions, as well as 366 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Boykin has also led late comebacks against Texas Tech and Kansas State (which held a 35-17 halftime lead) to keep his team unbeaten.
Boykin has a solid arm, great speed (he rushed for a 66-yard touchdown at Kansas State) and impressive mobility. He is a strong Heisman Trophy candidate, although it’s unclear how he’ll fit under center in the NFL.
NFL.com’s Gil Brandt has compared him to Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson. Like Boykin, Wilson can move and throw on the run, and he could represent a similar value for a team willing to mold its offense around a mobile passer.
1. LSU RB Leonard Fournette
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There’s no questioning this season’s biggest college football breakout star. He resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his name is Leonard Fournette. He arrived at LSU with his share of hype as the nation’s top overall recruit, per 247Sports. And he had a solid freshman season, rushing for 1,034 yards and producing his share of highlight-reel plays.
This fall, Fournette has made that look like only a tease. Through five games, he has 1,022 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. He has at least 158 yards in every game, with three 200 yard-plus rushing efforts.
He has emerged as the leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy and is on pace to double his 2014 rushing total and then some.
Fournette is 6’1”, 230 pounds and has exceptional speed, power and change-of-direction ability. He’s as capable of blowing through an opposing linebacker as he is blowing by one. He has received many comparisons, but one of the closest is Minnesota Vikings star tailback and former NFL MVP Adrian Peterson.
Both are fast, powerful, game-changing players. The only question? How quickly Fournette can join Peterson in the NFL.
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