NFL comparisons for Colorado’s draft prospects
- Ryan Asaro
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
With the NFL draft set to begin next Thursday, April 24, Colorado fans can expect to hear many familiar names get called throughout the weekend. With great performances at senior bowls, pro day, and the NFL combine many Buffs will likely celebrate the next step in their football journey as they head to the pros.
Here we take a deeper analysis of how some of the top players from CU compare to those from the NFL.
Shedeur Sanders: Andy Dalton
Sanders has been one of the most talked about players in college football since arriving in Boulder due to his production on the field and character off of it. While it’s uncertain where Sanders will land in this year's draft, whatever team drafts him will get an Andy Dalton-like quarterback to work with.
Dalton, similar to Sanders, is a quarterback who has made a career with his pinpoint accuracy and sophisticated knowledge of reading defenses. Both quarterbacks have made a name for themselves for being able to digest a defensive scheme and pick it apart, getting the ball where it needs to be to give their receivers the best chance of making something happen.
With the right coaching and a good core around him, Sanders could find himself having the same, if not better, production Dalton did during his MVP candidate year in 2015.
Travis Hunter: Odell Beckham Jr. (WR), Darrelle Revis (CB)
Hunter is truly a one-of-a-kind player that fans will likely never see again in college football.
Hunter's ability to play both sides of the ball at an elite level makes him incomparable to anyone in the NFL because no one has done what he’s done at the next level. But if we divide his game between offense and defense, we can see some comparable traits to NFL talent.
On the offensive side of the ball, Hunter flashes elements of Beckham Jr.’s game as a receiver, finding ways to make SportsCenter's top 10 every week with an unthinkable catch. Both players excel at coming down with the ball no matter the circumstance, which has made “OBJ” a quarterback favorite on all his teams.
If Hunter chooses to primarily play receiver in the NFL, expect to see some Houdini-level catches that could give OBJ’s infamous one-handed grab on Sunday Night Football a run for its money.
At corner, Hunter shuts down his half of the field, as quarterbacks would be mistaken to throw the ball his way. Similar to Revis, Hunter can be left alone on an island with any receiver, as his athleticism and high IQ will help him win his matchups on almost every play.
No matter what side of the ball he plays, expect to continue seeing Hunter making jaw-dropping plays for many Sundays to come.
Jimmy Horn Jr.: Eddie Royal
Horn had his moments at CU, displaying his ability to take the top off of defenses with his lethal speed and make magic happen with his athleticism after the catch. Horn’s game is almost identical to that of late-2000s slot receiver Eddie Royal.
Royal, while not a Hall of Fame-level talent, made a great career serving as a sparkplug to his offenses by being a deep ball threat and turning short screens into 30-yard gains. Horn, like Royal, is a player who can use his speed to help stretch defenses vertically and be a threat in the short passing game.
LaJohntay Wester: Wayne Chrebet
Wester emerged as a star wideout for CU, consistently finding ways to get open and be a go-to option for Sanders when needed. Wester shows shades of New York Jets fan favorite Wayne Chrebet.
Chrebet, an undersized quick receiver, always found ways to get open with his crisp routes and great speed out of his breaks. This made him a top target for quarterbacks, as they always knew he would find a way to get open and secure the catch no matter where the throw was.
Wester, like Chrebet, could be a go-to option for teams in clutch situations because of his ability to create space and bring in any ball thrown his way.
Will Sheppard: Keyshawn Johnson
Sheppard and Johnson have almost identical builds at 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4 and about 205 pounds. Johnson’s big frame made him an easy target for quarterbacks, especially in the red zone.
Sheppard demonstrated the ability to be a hard-to-miss target for Sanders, especially in one-on-one situations where Sheppard could use his height to his advantage. While he isn’t the most developed receiver of the four entering the draft from CU, his measurables could make him a go-to option just like Johnson was in the red zone.
Shilo Sanders: Talanoa Hufanga
Sanders and Hufanga both mimic the playing style of a gambling addict who would bet his life savings on black at the roulette table. Both safeties love to play the game with extreme aggression. High risk, high reward.
This strategy has led to both players making big highlight reel plays as well as being out of position and missing tackles or blowing coverage assignments.
While many coaches and coordinators don’t like the gambles these two take, Hufanga found the right system under DeMeco Ryans with the San Francisco 49ers that allowed him to play freely without serious coverage responsibilities. Ryans’s scheme led to Hufanga earning an All-Pro selection in 2023 and being a key part of San Francisco's top-rated defense that year.
If Sanders could find himself on a team that lets him play freely like Hufanga's, he could continue on the legacy of the Sanders name on the defensive side of the ball.
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