Pro Player Comparisons for CFP Championship's Top 2025 NFL Draft Prospects

The 2025 College Football National Championship Game is the first of its kind, as it's the culmination of the FCS' first-ever 12-team playoff setup. To no one's surprise, Monday's contest at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is littered with future NFL talent, particularly from one squad.

With the Ohio State Buckeyes set to meet the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, these two blueblood programs—both of whom wouldn't have made the playoff in previous years—feature over a dozen prospects currently graded among the top 130 by the Bleacher Report Scouting Department.

However, the Irish will be fighting an uphill battle when it comes to pure talent on the field. The Buckeyes are loaded at nearly every level, with at least one legitimate NFL prospect among the position groups, hence why Ohio State makes up the majority of this list. Although, the top-rated individual plays on Notre Dame's defense.

When looking at the top prospects set to compete—excluding the likes of Ohio State's Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin, as well as Notre Dame's Benjamin Morrison and Rylie Mills, because of injuries—pro comparisons are provided by B/R's scouts to get a feeling for what type of skill set each incoming prospect brings to the next level.

Pro Comparison: Landon Collins

An interesting juxtaposition exists when discussing Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts. He's simultaneously been one of the nation's top ballhawks, while also excelling as a downhill eraser from his safety position.

Over the past two seasons, Watts' 13 interceptions lead major college football. The defensive back clearly has a nose for the football and plays his zones well. Turnovers can be volatile in any given season, though.

Watts is at his best when he's able to see everything in front of him and close quickly. The interceptions indicate primarily playing deep third or half. Instead, Watts can thrive at strong safety as a heat-seeking missile, much like Collins was, albeit the incoming prospect isn't as explosive.

Pro Comparison: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Primary slot targets used to be viewed as lesser options when compared to the other positions at wide receiver.

To this day, a true X-receiver remains the gold standard. However, numerous successful offenses are now built around other wide receiver spots (or even tight ends) serving as the No. 1 threat.

Case in point, Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the Seattle Seahawks this past season with 100 receptions. In his just second season, he eclipsed DK Metcalf as Geno Smith's favorite target.

Smith-Njigba ran more routes from the slot than any other NFL receiver during the 2024 campaign. His former collegiate teammate, Emeka Egbuka, made a living doing the same for the Buckeyes.

Whichever NFL organization drafts Egbuka will get another smooth and proficient route-runner who can be the focal point of an offense while working from the slot.

Pro Comparison: Michael Clemons

JT Tuimoloau never quite lived up to his status as a heralded 5-star recruit entering Ohio State's program. However, he did improve each season with the Buckeyes.

Some may sneer at the idea of a three-time first-team All-Big Ten honoree being described as an individual who hasn't met expectations, especially when the person in question just posted a career-high 11.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.

Well, it's a question of variance based on overall talent and dominance. Tuimoloau's skill set doesn't necessarily meet elite standards among defensive ends.

Tuimoloau is a power-rusher with base end traits, much like Michael Clemons. He's not the type who is going to regularly blow by and bend around offensive tackles. He's going to play through them with a white-hot motor. Both types of defensive ends can be effective at the highest level. But the better pure athletes are more highly valued.

Pro Comparison: Maliek Collins

When making comparisons, multiple factors are taken into consideration. Some are based on similar physical attributes. Usage often plays a part. Skill set is often the biggest indicator, though.

A Maliek Collins comparison for Ohio State's Tyliek Williams is strictly based on skill set, because the latter is a far bigger defensive tackle. When Collins measured at the NFL combine, he came in at under 6'2" and 311 pounds. The Buckeyes' official site lists Williams at 6'3" and 327 pounds.

Williams has true nose tackle/1-technique size. However, his game is predicated on initial quickness and shooting gaps along the interior. To be fair, Williams can hold the point of attack. But he's more effective when he can get upfield and reset the line of scrimmage to create tackle-for-loss opportunities or spill plays to teammates. Collins has been the same type of player since his Nebraska days.

Pro Comparison: Chase Brown

The Buckeyes backfield is loaded, with a pair of ball-carriers in TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins (more on him in a bit) who are more than capable of becoming lead backs at the next level.

Henderson has a shot at being RB1 coming into the season, though he has been long surpassed by the likes of Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, North Carolina's Omarion Hampton and Iowa's Kaleb Johnson among the positional hierarchy.

Despite a shared backfield, Henderson is on the precipice of his second 1,000-yard campaign. When looking at his style, he fits in the same mold as Chase Brown, who became the Cincinnati Bengals' top back by his second season.

Like Brown, Henderson is at his best as a slasher with tremendous burst. His explosiveness lends well to chunk plays while also being a constant threat to take the ball all the way at any given time.

Pro Comparison: Joe Mixon

When looking at Quinshon Judkins alongside TreVeyon Henderson, the former seems to have more upside as a more traditional NFL lead back. Both are gifted, but Judkins' game differs quite a bit from his teammate's.

Judkins spent two years thriving in the SEC before transferring to Ohio State. As a member of the Ole Miss Rebels, the back carried the ball 545 times as a freshman and sophomore for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns on his way to being named as part of back-to-back first-team All-SEC squads.

His usage took a step back in 2024, though Judkins maintains a high standard from an evaluation standpoint. A Joe Mixon comparison seems lofty, especially with the veteran's on-field success is taken into consideration.

Even so, Judkins has displayed similar qualities as a potential workhorse with good power who can make defenders miss in small spaces, as well as natural receiving capabilities.

Pro Comparison: Tyson Campbell

Ohio State's Denze Burke entered the season as a potential first-round pick and in the conversation to become CB1, depending on how teams viewed Colorado's Travis Hunter.

Neither of those projections seem feasible at this point.

Burke looked like a sure bet to enter the 2024 NFL draft after a strong bounce-back season. Instead, he returned to campus and placed himself in the exact position he's currently in to potentially help his team win a national championship.

From an NFL standpoint, inconsistencies within his coverage remain a concern. Burke regressed slightly as a senior. He's going to take chances, even if the possibility of giving up a big play exists.

Like Tyson Campbell, Burke can thrive in different schemes based on his physicality and athleticism. He may find himself in varied alignments instead of just being an outside corner on a full-time basis.

Pro Comparison: Sam Hubbard

Jack Sawyer's Ohio State career will be forever remembered for his strip-sack followed by a scoop-and-score to help the Buckeyes secure a College Football Playoff semifinal victory over the Texas Longhorns.

His actual time in Columbus failed to reach its full potential, though. Much like the Buckeyes' bookend defensive end, JT Tuimoloau, Sawyer came into the program as a heralded 5-star recruit and needed time to develop and improve throughout his collegiate stay.

Of the two, Tuimoloau has been more productive. But Sawyer has definitely had his moments, though he needed to find a home in the defense. Two seasons ago, the Buckeyes' defensive coaching staff wanted Sawyer to play in space more often. It didn't work out all that well.

In 2023, Sawyer returned to end and registered 15.5 sacks over the following 28 games. He's not the most explosive or powerful edge-defender. Still, he can be a reliable every-down defender, much like another Ohio State product in Sam Hubbard.

Pro Comparison: Michael Jordan

No, not that Michael Jordan. Ohio State faithful will remember the Michael Jordan who played for the program between the 2016 and '18 seasons before being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the '18 class.

The comparison doesn't derive from playing at the same school. Instead, Donovan Jackson is a bigger lineman who has been forced to play at offensive tackle despite being a tailor-made interior blocker.

Jordan never found a home and bounced between four different teams. Jackson has a better chance at sticking, particularly at guard, where he can be a physical force. A team looking at him for his versatility will be making a mistake. Keep the 6'4", 320-pounder Jackson at one spot and let him eat.

Pro Comparison: Jeremy Chinn

Caleb Downs, who is earmarked as a top-10 pick for the 2026 class, changed Ohio State's defensive approach after transferring from the Alabama Crimson Tide. Sonny Styles converted from safety to linebacker, while Lathan Ransom got to thrive primarily as a downhill safety.

Ransom spent nearly a fourth of his time this season playing in the box. He has already registered 73 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and three forced fumbles during the current campaign.

When Jeremy Chinn entered the professional ranks, his usage remained in question. Was he a safety or linebacker? He's bounced between the two positions before settling at his natural position within the defensive backfield.

While Chinn is bigger than Ransom, the latter's powerful frame and physical approach bring similar qualities to the position.

Pro Comparison: Mason Rudolph

The Ohio State coaching staff made the decision that Kyle McCord wasn't good enough to lead a national championship-caliber roster. McCord transferred to the Syracuse Orange, where he led the nation in passing yardage, while Will Howard left the Kansas State Wildcats to join the Buckeyes.

Howard has had his moments, both good and bad.

At his core, he's a he's a big-framed game-manager, with the ability to push the ball down the field when opportunities arise. In that regard, the Mason Rudolph comparison comes into play. Howard is at his best when he's able to take full advantage of the talent found outside at wide receiver. However, he's not the most efficient passer working second-level or underneath routes.

The biggest difference between the two is that Howard is a legitimate threat as a runner. The 6'4", 235-pound signal-caller has ground out 1,000 yards during his collegiate career.

Pro Comparison: Ryan Tannehill

While the Mason Rudolph comparison to Ohio State quarterback Will Howard is built on their approach as passers and not their athletic profiles, the opposite is true in the case of Notre Dame's Riley Leonard when compared to Ryan Tannehill.

For basically the entirety of Tannehill's professional career, someone had to mention the fact he played wide receiver at Texas A&M before converting back to quarterback. The comment always centered on Tannehill's athleticism as a runner.

Leonard didn't play wide receiver at the collegiate level, but he's most effective when he's part of the Fighting Irish run game. The quarterback is second on the Fighting Irish this season with 866 rushing yards. He ranks sixth among all quarterbacks—including the obvious triple-option suspects—and first among those who compete among Big Four schedules.

As a passer, the Duke transfer has completed a career-high 66.4 percent of his throws this season.

Pro Comparison: Ernest Jones

Linebacker isn't the heralded position it once was, but every squad needs a smart, reliable and productive leader along the second line of defense.

Jack Kiser has been a staple of the Fighting Irish defense. Upon the start of Monday's National Championship Game, Kiser will finalize a historic career with a program-record 70 games played for Notre Dame.

The sixth-year defender has improved each year. He currently has a team-leading 85 total tackles.

Physically, Kiser is built similarly to the Seattle Seahawks' Ernest Jones. They're both around 6'1" and 230 pounds. Neither is the biggest, strongest or fastest defender. But they have a nose for the football, and they're going to be constantly found around it.

Kiser can also start his professional career as a backup, with the potential to develop into a starter and defensive stalwart.