Comps are a very normal thing when it comes to scouting players. The reason why they are given is to give a semblance of what the player is going to look like at the next level. Some do it based on playstyle while others are based on athletic profile. Sometimes, you have to go outside the box to find a comp that works.
Inspired by SB Nation’s J.P. Acosta, there are players that have comparisons outside of the sport of football to do them justice. Here are my five favorite comps using examples outside of football.
Florida QB Anthony Richardson: Vince from Recess
You remember that one kid from your elementary school that can do everything on the playground better than everyone else? That was Vince LaSalle from the Disney cartoon Recess. He was a super athlete and always won the kickball or dodgeball game. That is Richardson. When he is on the field, Richardson is the most explosive athlete, can throw farther than anyone, run with or past everyone and bulldoze anyone that got in his way.
Alabama CB/S Brian Branch: Backyard Baseball's Pablo Sanchez
Every so often, there is a player that comes around that can do a little bit of everything. That versatility can make things next level for whoever ends up taking Branch. It also describes Pablo Sanchez, the “Secret Weapon” perfectly. No matter what Backyard game you were playing, Sanchez could do whatever you needed and do it at a high level. He was always the top draft pick and Branch on the back end is the epitome of that.
Alabama QB Bryce Young: NBA point guard Russell Westbrook
The Alabama quarterback is quite an interesting player. He is really small for being a top quarterback, but Young carries the team on his back consistently. It doesn’t matter the situation or the team he’s playing, Young finds a way.
This is eerily reminiscent of prime Russell Westbrook. An elite player when it comes to putting stats on the board, Westbrook carried the Thunder for a few years and was the reason they were competitive. That is exactly what Young does on the gridiron.
Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes: Gumby
Forbes is a tough prospect to evaluate. He is tall, long and fast, but has a weight in the zero percentile at 166 lbs. Forbes has the ability, but he has the slender frame and physicality of Gumby. That is something physical receivers can use to their advantage and absolutely bully Forbes. Gumby was a claymation show in the early 1990s focused on the long green being and his horse Pokey.
Houston WR Nathaniel "Tank" Dell: Road Runner
Like Forbes, Dell is a historically small receiver. At 5082 and 163 lbs, Dell is very quick and shifty, leaving defenders flabbergasted as to what he just did to them. Watching Dell’s shiftiness reminds me of how quick Road Runner moved when trying to avoid Wile E. Coyote’s dastardly attempts to get him every time.
