I always hate to see players suffer injuries, and was very sorry to see the news on Wednesday that UCLA star junior Myles Jack sustained a season-ending knee injury. Jack, primarily a linebacker, is an elite and versatile talent. I don't think the injury will affect how NFL scouts evaluate him if he decides to apply for early entry into the 2016 NFL Draft, unless his injury isn't a standard knee injury.
Prior to learning of his injury, I asked five NFL personnel executives to give me the best player comparison for Jack. Here are their answers.
Executive 1:Jamie Collins
"The closest comparison is to Jamie Collins. He reminds me of him as a playmaker. He's a much better player than (former UCLA LB) Akeem Ayers, (who was drafted) No. 39 (overall) his year (2011)."
Executive 2:DeAndre Levy
"He's a better athlete than Levy. He's a 10-times-better version of Shaq Thompson. He's more instinctive and makes more plays behind the line of scrimmage."
Executive 3:Jon Beason
"The first thing that comes to mind is a healthier version of Jon Beason."
Executive 4:Daryl Washington
"I still need to do more work on him, but my first impression is Daryl Washington."
Executive 5:NaVorro Bowman
"NaVorro Bowman is similar in size and instincts. This guy is very unique, so it's tough (to make a comparison)."
Verdict: That's one vote apiece for Collins, Levy, Beason, Washington and Bowman.
Conclusion: The thing that stands out about Jack is his combination of versatility and explosiveness. The guy he reminds me of is Thomas Davis when he came out of Georgia. Opinions will vary on which position he should play in the NFL, but I don't think you can go wrong, no matter where you line him up. It's unfortunate that he suffered the injury, but he's a really talented player, and everything I hear is he practices as hard as he plays.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter at @MoveTheSticks.