Future Cardinal pros compared to current NFLers

The 2020 NFL Draft is nearly upon us. A weekend full of dreams realized and hopes cashed in. For a Stanford duo, they find themselves firmly in the Day 2 and early Day 3 picture as potential Round 2-4 selections for both Colby Parkinson and Casey Toohill.

Thanks to Rotoworld’s Thor Nystrom, we don’t have to come up with a pro comparison for your future Cardinal pros as he’s gone ahead and done the unthinkable and ranked all 500 potential NFL draftees and included a pro comparison with each.

Let’s discuss.

Parkinson comes in ranked as the 136th-best prospect overall with a Round 4 grade and as the seventh-best tight end in the class. A mammoth of a man, Parkinson was compared to former UCLA tight end Joseph Fauria, who’s NFL career is likely over, still made an impact in his two years with the Detroit Lions and resurfaced during the AAF’s emergence in 2019. Fauria also stands at 6’7 and capped his two-year NFL career with 24 catches for 281 yards but eight touchdowns.

Parkinson has better hands than Fauria ever did but their ability to do it all at the tight end position at their size is likely the biggest factor here.

I’d like to think that Parkinson will last a bit longer than Fauria did in the pros based upon his safe hands and ability in the run game.

Toohill comes in with a Round 6 grade at the 196th-best overall prospect and 22nd-best linebacker in the class. Toohill was compared to Trevon Young who plays along the edge for the Cleveland Browns after spending two years with the Los Angeles Rams. Young was drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 draft and has been hampered by injuries during his NFL career to date. Still, Young was a dynamic pass-rusher and solid defender in the pass game during his college career, something that Toohill also excels at.

In today’s pass-first NFL, Toohill’s ability to get after the passer as well as his solid coverage skills on limited snaps should only bode well for him.

So there you have it, the pro comps for the two Stanford Cardinal players likely to hear their names called this weekend:

Colby Parkinson = Joseph Fauria
Casey Toohill = Trevon Young

What do you think of those?