Finding a draft doppelganger for most prospects is possible if you are willing to squint hard enough.
Comparisons to NFL players typically are rooted in some combination of athletic ceiling and agility profiles, body type and position use.
We ran the numbers to develop pro comps in collaboration with our network of writers and draft analysts to trace similarities between top prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft and current pros to generate a rough sketch of where they project at the next level.
–Colorado CB Travis Hunter (6-0, 188, did not run 40 at combine, pro day)
Draft projection: Top 3 overall
Hey, you remind me of … DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys
Bland’s ball production, playmaking gene and “ball is mine” mentality match Hunter’s penchant for big plays. Hunter is a very good wide receiver — as recognized with the Heisman Trophy during his dominant two-way 2024 season — but he is a downright special cornerback. Making any comparison to Hunter is inexact because of the truly unique skills he combines at the position. With great route timing, hip fluidity and press technique, Hunter demonstrates an incredible amount of sophistication as a corner. Though all of these qualities are great, Hunter is special due to his ball skills. Like Bland, Hunter processes special body control, route timing and hands that will make him very productive in terms of getting pass breakups and interceptions. If Hunter can improve his ability to deal with bigger, more physical receivers he could be one of the best players in the NFL.
–Miami QB Cameron Ward (6-2, 223, 4.87 40)
Draft projection: Top 5 overall
Hey, you remind me of … Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Perhaps more mobile but not as accurate or poised as present-day Mahomes, Ward is a facsimile model in that he features special adjustability with arm angles and enough in-the-pocket quickness and mobility to be a headache on scramble plays. He has more than enough velocity to put the ball where it needs to go and the live arm to thrive in a wide-open offense. A top leader with a chip on his shoulder, Ward was not likely to break the top two in the 2024 QB class but an argument could be made for him running third or fourth. Scouts and GMs who missed out on Mahomes will likely swing their grades the other way this time. Like Mahomes out of Texas Tech, Ward’s aggression and freestyle approach can get him in trouble, but teams will be willing to bet on upside in a lackluster class.
–Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter (6-3, 250, did not run 40 at combine, pro day)
Draft projection: Top 5 overall
Hey, you remind me of … Brian Burns, New York Giants
Pre-draft injury worries might limit projections of Carter but there is no doubt other teams are ready to hitch their wagons to a defensive game-changer. His elite athleticism stands of the top reason Carter is the coveted pass rusher in 2025. He doesn’t yet have the refined pass-rush moves or power of Burns, but Carter is the kind of athlete who can get away with winning with his natural ability get-off while developing into a more complete, three-down demon. Like Burns, Carter is going to be one of the best pure pass rushers in football, but would need to make leaps in terms of his run defense and pass-rush moves to reach fellow Penn State product Micah Parsons’ game-wrecker status.
–Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (5-9, 211, did not run 40 at combine, pro day)
Draft projection: Top 10 overall
Hey, you remind me of … Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Jeanty’s height isn’t the prevailing negative some are asserting because of his leverage and strength profile combine with a short-area burst and tackle-breaking explosion conversion that could set him up to be a star in the right system. While he’s a much shorter version of Barkley (6-0, 233 at the 2018 combine), his ability to find creases and create laterally where other backs get lost is similar. Comparing any back to an MVP-level pro is a slippery slope, but it also underscores the potential upside of Jeanty as a lead dog in a downhill running scheme.
–Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell (6-3, 235, 4.52 40)
Draft projection: Top 20 overall
Hey, you remind me of … Tremaine Edmunds, Chicago Bears
Campbell’s top-20 stock is a projection of the peak of his potential.
Campbell has every tool necessary to quickly become more than a high-end developmental linebacker. With time and experience, he should turn the corner in processing and communication duties. It’s the abundant natural ability and tools that can’t be taught that push him as high as the top eight in 2025. As a rookie, his ability to make splash plays and handle man coverage duties on tight ends gets him on the field quickly.
–Georgia S Malaki Starks (6-1, 197, 4.5 40)
Draft projection: First round
Hey, you remind me of … Grant Delpit, Cleveland Browns
To find the truest doppelganger for Starks requires taking parts of one player and blending them with another. He has pieces of a profile that could fit former Georgia and Minnesota Vikings first-rounder Lewis Cine and while not a carbon copy of Delpit in terms of body type — Delpit measured an inch-and-a-half taller, 16 pounds heavier at the 2020 Scouting Combine — but their versatile play, proven coverage dynamics with technique and range, usefulness in multiple position roles and being universally nails in run support are common traits. The collective skill set to be a one-man secondary survival tool is rare and coveted.
–Penn State TE Tyler Warren (6-6, 256, did not run 40 at combine, pro day)
Draft projection: Top 15 overall
Hey, you remind me of … Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
Utilized as a versatile super weapon at Penn State, Warren lacks the athleticism to make this projection realistic when talking his primary usage in the NFL. Warren would be best as an in-line tight end who is able to produce after the catch and in short-yardage situations. Warren is going to be an above-average athlete, receiver and blocker with some trick-play potential. His overall skills are above-average but Warren might not dominate consistently at the pro level.
–Texas OT Kelvin Banks (6-5, 315, 5.16 40)
Draft projection: First round
Hey, you remind me of … Peter Skoronski, Tennessee Titans
Skoronski was a left tackle at Northwestern but ended up at guard in the NFL. Banks falls into the same bucket as a technical run blocker who makes
the most of his frame and tools as a pass blocker. While he likely never develops into an All-Pro, Banks has ample tools to be a long-time starter even if he slides inside.
–Michigan DT Mason Graham (6-4, 296)
Draft projection: Top 20 overall
Hey, you remind me of … Christian Wilkins, Las Vegas Raiders
Length and athleticism are less-than-elite, but Graham has immediate value as a plus run defender and pass rusher for the position, which can be a rare combination. Entering the draft with some concern about bad weight, Graham showed up at the Scouting Combine at 296. He consistently won against pro-caliber prospects and wins the label of “safest pick in the 2025 draft” for multiple teams, which will push him into the top 10 or 12 overall. Wilkins compares to Graham in that he lacks the top-end tools to be a superstar, but his effectiveness against the run and pass and the occasional splash game already earned him $100 million in free agency.
–Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders (6-2, 212)
Draft projection: Top 40 overall
Hey, you remind me of … Will Grier, Dallas Cowboys
An apples-for-apples comparison for Sanders is an impossible mission. Most of the high-end options such as Joe Burrow showcased better timing and ability outside of structure. We can find parts of Andy Dalton’s game and a slice of Kirk Cousins here and there. We settle on the former Florida and West Virginia gunslinger as the closest prospect profile given the data at hand. Grier starred in the same league in college and was 6-2 1/2, 217 at the combine. His lack of elite arm talent and inconsistent approach pushed him to the third round in the 2019 draft, yet his touch and ability to change arm angles were part of the reason he was coveted in the 2019 draft. Sanders’ prospects are far better, but there is system-driven success in his production grade that causes pause and amplifies the enormous downside risk of putting him on the wrong team. Grier was also in the Heisman Trophy picture as a senior in 2018 with the same number of TD passes (37) as Sanders tallied in 2024. Grier completed 67 percent of his passes (74 for Sanders in ’24) and had a 175.5 efficiency rating (Sanders tallied 168.21 last season).
–Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan (6-5, 215, 4.5 40)
Draft projection: Top 15 overall
Hey, you remind me of … Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Using his frame, length, deep speed and ball skills, McMillan makes ridiculous catches look routine. His game revolves around physicality, but he grades very high for precision route running, a multiplier in his ability to generate easy separation. McMillan projects well as a big-bodied receiver who, at worst, has a very high floor as a consistent starter. At best, he could be a Pro Bowl-caliber wideout for a long time.
–Tennessee OLB James Pearce Jr (6-5, 245, 4.47 40)
Hey, you remind me of … Leonard Floyd, San Francisco 49ers
Graded largely as a one-trick pony as a speed pass rusher, Pearce has the potential to develop into more than just a pure designated pocket pusher. With a frame that can support more weight, great baseline athleticism and quick hands, he could develop into the best edge in the class if he can improve his strength profile and pass-rush arsenal. Like Floyd, a first-rounder out of Georgia selected by the Bears in 2016, Pearce projects well as a pure pass rusher who has the potential to put on mass to become a more complete player.
–Field Level Media
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