NFL draft 2022 comps – Our greatest prospect-to-pro matches, together with comparisons for Kenny Pickett, Ikem Ekwonu, Jordan Davis, extra

The 2022 NFL draft is getting nearer, which suggests you will begin listening to comparisons between a number of the top prospects in the class and present/former NFL gamers. These matches may very well be based mostly on the way in which the prospects play the sport, their bodily measurements, their manufacturing, their versatility and position, comparable traits or some mixture of these traces of thought. However regardless, NFL draft evaluators usually comp gamers popping out of faculty to established professionals to place a reputation and a face to what they create.

Comps are a straightforward means for followers to get a way of a participant’s fashion of play. However they don’t seem to be at all times actual — and generally they do not recommend the prospect will share the identical stage of success because the NFLer, for higher or worse. They’re merely useful in higher understanding prospects and the way they mission to the subsequent stage.

So we requested 10 of our NFL draft analysts for his or her favourite comp on this yr’s class. Some you’ve got in all probability already heard, however others would possibly supply a brand new means to have a look at a specific prospect and what we will anticipate to see from him every Sunday going ahead. We begin with one of many prime quarterbacks within the class.

Pickett has an unsettled, yard fashion of play. The Pittsburgh QB constantly will get himself out of dangerous conditions together with his quickness and creativity. And when he’s in rhythm, Pickett is very operational. That likens him to the way in which Romo, the longtime Dallas Cowboys quarterback, performed the sport. — Dan Orlovsky, NFL analyst

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A dynamic prospect with playmaking traits, Wilson can stretch defenses vertically or create after the catch. And with the high-level ball abilities he exhibits on the tape, the Ohio State receiver can win isolation matchups. In a professional offense, search for Wilson to be deployed like Diggs (Buffalo Bills) as a three-level goal with inside/outdoors flexibility. — Matt Bowen, NFL analyst

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Lloyd is an entire participant at inside linebacker, very like Warner has been for the San Francisco 49ers. And their school manufacturing and measurables are almost similar.

• Throughout his Utah profession, Lloyd had 256 complete tackles, 16.5 sacks, two pressured fumbles, 5 interceptions, eight go breakups and three touchdowns. And through his 4 seasons at BYU, Warner recorded 264 complete tackles, 6.5 sacks, three pressured fumbles, seven interceptions, 13 go breakups and two touchdowns.

• On the mix this yr, Lloyd measured 6-foot-Three and 235 kilos with 33-inch size and 4.66-second pace within the 40-yard sprint. In the meantime, Warner measured 6-foot-Three and 236 kilos with 32-inch size and 4.64 pace through the 2018 mix exercises.

Lloyd can cease the run, make performs on the ball in protection and get after the quarterback. And the flexibility to impression the go protection as an inside linebacker makes Lloyd a straightforward comp to Warner for me. — Todd McShay, NFL draft analyst

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Gardner is an extended and sudden cornerback, and he did not hand over a single landing this season at Cincinnati. We had Cromartie on the New York Jets after I was their GM, and these two cornerbacks’ builds and bodily traits are almost similar. Gardner needs to be an elite man-to-man cowl nook within the NFL, identical to Cro. — Mike Tannenbaum, NFL analyst

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Nelson was a very good receiver for the Green Bay Packers, and Pierce has comparable bodily traits. He wowed with a 4.41-second 40-yard sprint and 40.5-inch vertical on the mix, and the Cincinnati pass-catcher can even run each route — and break tackles after the catch. Perhaps Inexperienced Bay may steal Pierce with one among its two second-round picks. — Mel Kiper Jr., NFL draft analyst

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NC State’s Ekwonu is a stout participant with superior means within the run sport. Just like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ Wirfs did when popping out of Iowa, he tasks as a improbable Day 1 offensive sort out who will probably be higher early within the run sport than the go sport. Ekwonu’s upside — due to traits like quickness, steadiness and energy — makes him arguably one of the best sort out on this class. — Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst

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Each of those cornerbacks have been identified for his or her ball manufacturing in school. Stingley had a standout true freshman season at LSU that included six interceptions, whereas Lattimore had 4 picks in his ultimate school season earlier than the New Orleans Saints took him within the first spherical in 2017. Stingley has squeaky clear approach as a person nook however can also be savvy together with his eyes and instincts in zone protection. The flexibility is not the knock with him. It is his availability — he has missed 13 video games over the previous two seasons. If Stingley can recapture his pre-injury type, he has the expertise to turn into a top-five nook within the NFL. — Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst

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Each of those defensive tackles are huge — Georgia’s Davis weighs 341 kilos, and Vea (Buccaneers) weighed 347 kilos when he entered the draft in 2018 — inside run stuffers with the energy to dominate one-on-one matchups and occupy double-teams. I do not assume both will ever be high-volume sack producers, however sacks will be overrated. Their means to push the pocket makes it robust for quarterbacks to step up, and it might trigger groups to double them, successfully creating one-on-one matchups for others. — Steve Muench, NFL draft analyst

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I used to be masking the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) in 1996 once they chosen Runyan, a strong offensive sort out with a get-after-it nasty streak, within the fourth spherical (109th general). He went on to play 14 seasons within the NFL. Penning, at 6-foot-7 and 325 kilos, has the identical bodily profile as Runyan, and his play-to-play toughness and willingness to complete performs with an edge have been noticeable traits in each sport he performed at Northern Iowa. However Penning will not have to attend till the fourth spherical to listen to his identify referred to as. — Jeff Legwold, NFL Nation reporter

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Each of those tight ends have harmful run-after-the-catch means. Their versatile talent units present in how offensive coordinators have used them, with every catching passes out of the backfield and even taking handoffs. Just like the New England Patriots‘ Smith, Maryland’s Okonkwo will current matchup issues within the NFL together with his dimension towards defensive backs and pace towards linebackers. — Turron Davenport, NFL Nation reporter