NFL player comparisons for Steelers OT Broderick Jones
By Tommy Jaggi
As the hype of the 2023 NFL Draft has died down, we have reached the time of year when we can really dive headfirst into the film of each player the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted. One of my favorite articles that I write every year at this time is breaking down the high-end, low-end, and most likely NFL player comparisons of each pick.
These are projections of what a player could be if all goes well in their development, what the floor of the player could look like, and who they are most likely to resemble during their professional careers. In my scouting report, I concluded that first-round pick, Broderick Jones, is a high-ceiling prospect with some notable mechanical flaws in his game.
The upside is very good for Jones to become a long-time starter, but the floor is also a tackle who isn't necessarily a high-impact player. Here are my high-end, low-end, and most-likely NFL player comparisons for Broderick Jones:
High-end NFL comparison: D'Brickashaw Ferguson
While some have comped Broderick Jones to Trent Williams, that's a bit too lofty for me. Though they share a similar physical makeup and great athletic traits, I don't like to compare prospects to Hall of Fame-level players. Instead, my high-end player comparison for Jones is D'Brickashaw Ferguson.
Ferguson was the 4th overall pick way back in the 2006 NFL Draft. Like Jones, he had a bully mentality with outstanding physical traits, but technical flaws sometimes held him back from being one of the very best in the league.
Still, Ferguson had an illustrious 10-year career -- each season coming as a member of the New York Jets. During this time, he was blessed with tremendous health and started all 160 games he appeared in until retiring after his age-32 season in 2015. Ferguson was selected to three straight Pro Bowls in the middle of his career from 2009-2011.
From both a size and athletic standpoint, these two players are remarkably similar. They have excellent movement skills in space and prototype traits to be a blindside protector. If Jones can clean up his mechanical issues, he could have a career very similar to that of D'Brickashaw Ferguson.