Stokley: Broncos rookie Chubb compares to future HOFer Peppers

As the Broncos head into the break before training camp and with a full offseason of workouts observed, “Stokley and Zach” host Brandon Stokley gave his NFL pro comparisons for a handful of Denver rookies and other young players.

Bradley Chubb – Julius Peppers

What Stokley said:

Bradley Chubb, to me, is a spitting image of Julius Peppers — big guy, can move, athletic. You remember Julius Peppers coming out of North Carolina. This guy was a basketball star.

Dimension-wise, they have kind of the same body frame.

Both these guys being early picks, and both coming out of the ACC, by the way. If he has any kind of career like Julius Peppers, that would be a great thing. But he reminds me of Peppers.

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Isaac Yiadom – Richard Sherman

What Stokley said:

He reminds me of Richard Sherman. Long. Tall. Late-round draft pick. A guy who’s going to be physical at the line of scrimmage.

So, he’s not quite Richard Sherman’s size. He’s a little bit shorter, maybe an inch shorter. But, he has that type of ability, to get into your

face and disrupt you at the line of scrimmage.

A smart football player like Richard Sherman. I look at those two guys — late-round draft picks, pretty similar structure … Not quite as tall as Richard Sherman, but he has long arms and he will get in your face and try to disrupt you at the line of scrimmage.

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Courtland Sutton – A.J. Green

What Stokley said:

I look at Courtland Sutton as a big guy who can go up and get the football. And a couple of names came to mind here when I was thinking about him, but I went with A.J. Green.

A.J. Green is a more refined route runner than Courtland Sutton, but when you talk about just being able to go up and get the football, make plays down the football field, A.J. Green is special. And I think Courtland Sutton will be special like that also.

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Royce Freeman – Mark Ingram

What Stokley said:

Royce Freeman, when I look at him and you look at his stature, he is thick and he likes to run downhill and he will run through arm tackles. And he reminds me of Mark Ingram.

Mark Ingram runs the football hard. He doesn’t go down easily. But he can also take it the distance. He’s not the home run hitter that Gurley is or some of those speedsters are, but he is a grinder in the tackle. He’s going to get you those extra yards. It looks like it’s three, oh no, it’s six (yards). That’s what the Broncos need.

He’s going to be running through arm tackles, he’s tough to bring down. Low center of gravity.

Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints running back, that’s who Royce Freeman reminds me of.

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Josey Jewell – Zach Thomas

What Stokley said:

He’s a guy who’s going to make a big impact this year. He will, whether it’s special teams, defensively. I look at him, and it reminds me of Zach Thomas.

Zach Thomas is a little bit shorter than Josey Jewell. Zach’s only 5-11. Josey Jewell is 6-2.

But, when you talk about guys who have been overlooked, linebackers who have been overlooked … (Thomas) made plays, but he was overlooked because of his size. He was overlooked because of his speed. But, his instincts, his ability to dissect the football play before it happens, and his first step, there is no false step. He knows where you’re going, he’s going to dissect, and he’s going to get there because of his instincts and his awareness. Football IQ. And that’s a Josey Jewell.

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DaeSean Hamilton – Pierre Garcon

What Stokley said:

Pierre Garcon. Tough. Really, really, refined route runner. A special route runner. You could see him in Indy, when he got with Peyton Manning, and this guy, his route running, it’s special.

And I look like a guy like DaeSean Hamilton, and already his route-running skills are really refined and at another level.

Pierre Garcon is tough. You talk about a guy who’s just tough. A hard-nosed football player. And that’s DaeSean Hamilton.

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David Williams – Jonathan Stewart

What Stokley said:

Jonathan Stewart. Just a bowling ball. A guy who’s a tough, physical runner. And that’s David Williams — a guy who might, on this football team, play some fullback for you, depending on what they want to do with Janovich.

If he makes the football team, you’ll probably see him in the backfield at fullback sometimes and running back other times. But he’s a football player who is a big, big running back.

 

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Phillip Lindsay – Danny Woodhead

What Stokley said:

Danny Woodhead, a smaller guy who’s really good out of the backfield but also can run the ball between the tackles. Just a dynamic football player.

Just a really good football player who has also been overlooked a lot. I mean, how does Phillip Lindsay not get an invite to the Combine. It still shocks me.

The Broncos got a steal by getting him as a free agent. I think there could be a spot on this football team for him. And they are giving him opportunities in the backfield with the first group. Whether it’s two-minute drills, whether it’s team drills, he’s getting a lot of opportunities to show himself. So, I think they’re really open, obviously, to evaluating this running back group, and they’re giving him opportunities to show his skills.

He’s 5-8, 190 pounds — obviously a little bit bigger than Danny Woodhead. Danny Woodhead looks about 5-5. But, that similar type of role, for me, is the role that Phillip Lindsay will need to master to be an NFL running back. And he has those skills. 

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River Cracraft – Danny Amendola

What Stokley said:

That’s Danny Amendola, all-day every day. I’m telling you, this guy’s a good football player. And the more I watch him, the more I’m committed to saying he’s a good football player.

I haven’t seen him in a game, but in practice, he looks the part. He looks like he could be a prototypical slot receiver.

He runs really good routes, gets in and out of his breaks sharply. Nice, crisp routes. Friendly to the quarterback. Quick off the ball. Explosive. Maybe not a 4.30 guy, but he’s explosive within the 10 yards. And he has really good hands, solid hands. He catches the ball in traffic. So, I don’t see an issue for him when it starts to become physical football, that he won’t be able to keep up.

But, obviously, the Broncos are high on this guy also.

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Su’a Cravens – Eric Berry

What Stokley said:

Eric Berry.

I mean, Su’a Cravens … he had an interception off of Emmanuel Sanders’ hands from Case Keenum early in the drill. And it ricocheted off Emmanuel Sanders’ hands, and it went up in the air, and, all of a sudden, this guy just went (clap sound). And I’m like, ‘Woah, who was that?’ He just exploded up and leaped up in the air like it was nothing, snatched it out of the air, hit the ground running.

A guy like Eric Berry, who is great in coverage but also great against the run. And that’s Su’a Cravens.