NFL Comparisons for Draft Eligible Inside Linebackers

You might be surprised to find out players like Denzel Perryman compares favorably to Lance Briggs and Eric Kendricks is similar to D'Qwell Jackson.

If you follow the Green Bay Packers, you're more than likely aware of the acute need for help at inside linebacker. The recent releases of A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones confirmed that.

It's almost guaranteed that at some point during the NFL Draft, the Packers are going to address the position. They may or may not take one in the first round, but before the draft is over they will.

To get an idea of how some of this year's prospects compare to other linebackers that have played in the league, I wanted to draw your attention to the website MockDraftable.com.

Just as an example, you may have seen analysts compare Miami linebacker Denzel Perryman to players like players like the undersized but productive London Fletcher or fellow Miami product Jon Beason.

At MockDraftable.com, they compare players strictly on a mathematical formula based on measurables, such as height, weight, arm length and NFL Combine drills such as the 40-yard dash, bench press and more. No game statistics are used, nor are subjective traits, such as style of play.

It's an inexact science to be sure, but the results are interesting. Here are the best player comparisons for some of the inside linebackers in this year's draft class:

 

Denzel Perryman and Lance Briggs

You'll see with Perryman that one of his closest comparison is Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, which Packers fans will be happy to hear should they end up drafting Perryman.

As with all the linebacker prospects, there are also comparisons on the list that are less flattering, some that more closely match the prospect's attributes. After reading a name like "Worrell Williams" on the list, you're probably asking yourself, "Who?"

All the players listed participated in the NFL Combine sometime between 1999 and the present. Some went on to solid NFL careers, some did not.

I suggest clicking both the "Measurements & Comparisons" tab on the widget as well as the "Graph" to get a better idea of how their measurements stack up to other Combine partcipants over time.

Eric Kendricks and D'Qwell Jackson

Jackson is one of the NFL's leading tacklers year in and year out and was finally named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career this past season.

Stephone Anthony and Luke Kuechly

As one of the best linebackers in the NFL, Kuechly's name stands out on the list below, but a less impressive comparison is former Packers linebacker Spencer Havner. If the Packers are going to invest a high-round draft choice into a player like Anthony, they'd like better talent than Havner provided.

Ben Heeney and Luke Kuechly

Heeney impressively put up some of the best numbers at the NFL Combine of any player regardless of position, particularly in the change-of-direction drills such as the shuttles and three-cone drill.

Benardrick McKinney and Sean Lee

Lee has been a good player for the Cowboys when healthy, although he measures in a few inches shorter than McKinney.

Spencer Havner's name surprisingly comes up again as well.

Bryce Hager and Sean Lee

Lee's name shows up a second time.

Ramik Wilson and C.J. Mosley

The Packers probably would've been happy had they drafted Mosley this past season. Wilson, however, isn't going to cost a first round draft choice.

Amarlo Herrera and Lance Briggs

Interestingly, the closest comparison is the Packers' own Sam Barrington, although the most accomplished player is Lance Briggs.

Taiwan Jones and Brandon Spikes

Coincidentally, Spikes is one of the top inside linebackers in this year's free agent class.

Paul Dawson and Larry Foote

Foote was a good, not great linebacker that played for more than a decade in the NFL.

Another name that shows up is former Packer D.J. Smith, a similarly undersized inside linebacker.

Shaq Thompson

It's debatable that Thompson fits as a 3-4 inside linebacker, and perhaps not surprisingly, there are no names that really stick out among his comparisons.

Check out MockDraftable.com to see the rest of the inside linebackers that aren't listed here and players at every other position too.

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Comments (4)

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Denver's picture

February 28, 2015 at 11:46 am

Interesting, Brian. Some weirdness to it, like how Eric Kendricks is mentioned as a Ben Heeney comparison.
But any guy mentioned with Kuechly is fine by me.

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4thand1's picture

February 28, 2015 at 02:13 pm

I still say Dawson is faster than his combine 40 time. Football instincts get you to the ball quicker. Briggs 40 time wasn't nothing to wright home about.

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Clay Zombo's picture

March 01, 2015 at 01:00 am

Hard not to like Perryman, Anthony and Dawson, from what I have seen so far in looking at these guys (highlights and scouting reports).

Kendricks kind of reminds me of Nick Barnett for some reason but I will have to take another look at him to make sure. Anybody else get that feeling looking at him?

Now this Taiwan Jones guy I would consider drafting and turning into an OLB. If all those figures are correct, hes got some long arms, big hands and surprisingly quick 10 yrd split when compared to his overall 40 time. Curious to see where he lands and how hes used.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

March 03, 2015 at 12:58 am

These comparisons mean zilch.

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