Comparing top 2020 athletes to recent college stars
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team
Rivals.com's two-week series comparing the top five 2020 players at each position with current college players or those who were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft continues today with athletes.
RELATED: Comparisons for the top five 2020 QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OL | DEs | DTs | LBs | DBs
1. Arik Gilbert
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
Comparison: Albert Okwuegbunam
Overview: The first tight end taken in next year’s draft could very well be Okwuegbunam, who is a huge target in Missouri’s passing attack at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds. He’s athletic and has great hands and that’s why so many NFL teams are going to be interested. The same could be said for Gilbert, a freakish athlete, who at 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds is one of the most sought-after prospects in this class. Georgia is considered to be the favorite, and the Bulldogs have not thrown to tight ends much recently but Gilbert is talented enough to be special in any offense.
Farrell’s take: Gilbert is more athletic at the same stage as Okwuegbunam and a better natural pass-catcher, but the size is what intrigues us and leads to the comparison. Gilbert is a five-star because he can play tight end or defensive end and is special at both, so he should have a bright future on whatever side of the ball he lands.
2. Cartavious Bigsby
Rivals.com
Comparison: Benny Snell
Overview: Bigsby’s nickname is ‘Tank’ for a reason. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound athlete who should play running back in college is physical, muscled-up and doesn’t have incredible speed, but he’s a tough runner who’s difficult to drag down. That sounds a whole lot like Snell, who could be considered a steal in the fourth round of the NFL Draft after running for 3,873 yards with 48 touchdowns in three years at Kentucky. Bigsby will have to have a tremendous amount of success to reach those numbers, but he’s a handful to tackle.
Farrell’s take: Bigsby is a natural running back who can also catch the ball, but to me the comparison makes sense because both are such physical players. They are hard to bring down and love to fight for every yard, and Bigsby can have a college career similar to Snell's if he ends up at running back.
