Although the defensive end group in the 2018 NFL Draft isn't super-deep, the top player at that spot, Bradley Chubb, compares to a 2017 All Pro.

The defensive lineman class is magnificent. Four or five defensive tackles could be taken in Round 1 and there's a glut of quality prospects at that position who'll likely go on Day Two. 

It's important to remember NFL comparisons for draftees don't intend to guarantee a prospect will have the exact same career as his professional counterpart. In this series, I'll go through the top prospects at every position and give NFL comparisons -- some current players, some former. These comparisons are not based on size. They're almost solely stylistic. 

Previous installments: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends and Offensive Linemen

(Prospects are listed in the order they appear in my draft rankings.)

Bradley Chubb, DL, NC State

NFL comparison: Cameron Jordan

Jordan came into the NFL heavier than Chubb, but the two are refined power rushers who don't need to come off the field on any of the first three downs. Like Jordan -- who somewhat quietly had a Defensive Player of the Year type season in 2017 -- Chubb sets a strong edge and uses his size and strength to his advantage when tackles try to move him in the run game. When getting after the quarterback, the two large defensive ends win routinely with a combination of burst, power and a well-rounded arsenal of pass-rushing moves. 

Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

NFL comparsion: Grady Jarrett / Geno Atkins

This is a floor and ceiling comparison. With added strength, Hurst can be Atkins 2.0. Right now, he's Jarrett, one of the league's  most underrated interior pass-rushers who's in line for a big payday in the next year or so. All three of these defensive tackles thrive with ridiculous quickness, polished hand use, and a consistent low center of gravity when contacting offensive linemen. They are not undersized. You want your penetrating interior linemen to be somewhere between 6-foot and 6-2 and 280 to 310 pounds. 

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, DE, Oklahoma

NFL comparison: Jerry Hughes

Hughes was an extremely polished, highly productive speed rusher with great bend and plus athleticism. Labeled as "undersized" because he wasn't 6-3 or 6-4, he took time to acclimate to the pro game but has been a consistent pressure-creator for the Bills since he was traded to Buffalo before the 2013 campaign and is reliable against the run too. Okoronkwo isn't as strong at the point of attack as Hughes. He's bendier. Both have a nice array of pass-rushing moves and counters.  

Taven Bryan, DT, Florida

NFL comparison: Chris Jones

I almost went with J.J. Watt here, but that'd send the wrong message. Bryan is built almost exactly like Watt and has almost identical athleticism. Yes, really. But the current Texans superstar was a more NFL-ready player when he entered the league in 2011. Jones, who was invited to the 2016 draft yet slipped to pick No. 37, had flashes of top-15 play at Mississippi State and stretches in which he looked like a mid-rounder. That's the book on Bryan too. Jones has emerged as one of the better, young versatile defensive linemen in football. 

Vita Vea, DT, Washington

NFL comparison: Haloti Ngata

Vea has superhuman strength both in his upper and lower body. He can sit into a double team and become immovable or, in one-on-one situations, effortlessly toss guards aside before making an impact play against the run. Like Ngata early in his career, Vea can be over-reliant on his power but does possess a stunning club move and his hands are rarely stationary. As pass-rushers, both Ngata and Vea have surprising burst for their size.

Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA

NFL comparison: Danielle Hunter / Ziggy Ansah

Davenport is a tall, lengthy, supreme athlete with pass-rushing moves that are moving from the beginning stages to the more "refined" category. As a stand-up rusher with a few steps to get into the offensive tackle, Davenport converts speed to an insane amount of power, and his motor runs high. Hunter is one of the NFL's bright young stars at defensive tackle, and he represents Davenport's floor. Ansah, another somewhat raw defensive end when he entered the NFL, is the type of player Davenport can be at his best, but because of his superior athleticism, the former UTSA star can be a tick more productive than Ansah in the long run.

Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama

NFL comparison: Kenny Clark / Sheldon Richardson

Like Payne is now, Clark was a very young prospect coming out of UCLA in 2016. They both flashed as a block-shedding, two-gap nose tackle against the run and displayed upside as pass-rushers because of athleticism and powerful hands. In a position to get upfield as a three technique, because of his athleticism, Payne could be a impactful disruptor against the run and pass, like Richardson has been during his NFL career. 

Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford

NFL comparison: Malcom Brown

Brown isn't a household name. He's not a 10-sack-per-season defensive tackle. That doesn't mean he isn't an important, quality player for the Patriots. The former Texas star is a steady run defender who wins with outstanding leverage, aggressive hands and the ability to shed blockers with ease. Phillips, a former All-State wrestler, plays very similarly to Brown and will instantly boost the run defense of whichever team drafts him. He has some pass-rushing upside too because of his hand usage, but he's not a twitchy athlete. 

Josh Sweat, DE, Florida State

NFL comparison: Jadeveon Clowney

Like Clowney, Sweat was a highly-coveted recruit out of high school. The former Florida State Seminole didn't enjoy the notoriety Clowney did during college, but identifying his strength and weaknesses and general style of play all led to this comparison. Clowney is a ridiculous, linear athlete who coverts quickness to power at the point of attack and consistently deploys a powerful jolt. Sweat plays with as much top-level athleticism as he showed at the combine and knows to get his long arms into offensive linemen immediately. These are not bendy speed-rushers. They're elite run-defenders and will win with acceleration and length on the edge when getting after the quarterback.

Harold Landry, DE, Boston College

NFL comparison: Noah Spence / Vic Beasley

Landry's combine performance was very comparable to Beasley's, and with more strength and a few more pass-rushing moves, the former Boston College star can have a Beasley-type impact at the pro level. If he doesn't get better with his hands, he'll be a one-trick pony as a speed-rusher like Spence. Landry is slightly more bendy than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defender.

Linebackers

Roquan Smith, Georgia

NFL comparison: Bobby Wagner

Wagner's diagnosing skills and speed to the football happen at a lightning-quick rate. That combo has been the main reason why he's one of the NFL's most productive off-ball linebackers since he entered the league in 2012. Also, he's a sure tackler and is fluid in coverage. Smith is a clone of Wagner. That's the book on him too. 

Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech

NFL comparison: De'Vondre Campbell / Anthony Barr

Campbell is on the fast track to being a household name. Like Edmunds, he's a tall, thick off-ball linebacker who showcases elite athletic traits every game. Campbell is better dispatching blocks than Edmunds, but the latter is more explosive as a run-defender. If he reaches his full potential, he can be a Barr-type player who can be used at any linebacker position and provide some pass rush on the edge.

Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State

NFL comparison: Karlos Dansby

Dansby has enjoyed a successful, long career in the NFL -- he's set to enter into his 15th season in the league -- and has quietly had a Hall of Very Good tenure as a professional. At 6-4 and over 240 pounds, Dansby is a tone-setter in the run game and uses his fine blend of length and athleticism to be a steady producer in coverage. Vander Esch is bigger and more explosive than Dansby yet needs time to get better defeating blocks, but their games are similar. They're huge and fly sideline to sideline.

Dorian O'Daniel, Clemson

NFL comparison: Telvin Smith

Smith went much later than he should have in the 2014 draft -- Round 5 -- after a career in Florida State in which he was a big-play defender at the second level. Despite being more slender than the traditional player at his spot, Smith came into the league at the perfect time, as his speed and athleticism make him the consummate nickel linebacker. He wins by getting to the ball quickly and jumping in front of passes in coverage. Like Smith, O'Daniel is built like a safety, but his game doesn't have any holes. He's fast to the football, can shed blocks, and reads quarterbacks' eyes before getting his hands on throws at the short and intermediate level.  

Darius Leonard, South Carolina State

NFL comparison: C.J. Mosley 

Like Mosley, Leonard is a somewhat high-cut off-ball linebacker exuding fluidity in his coverage drops and enough power and speed to be a three-down playmaker at the NFL level. Both have desired diagnosing ability and are almost always very quick to the football.

Rashaan Evans, Alabama

NFL comparison: Nigel Bradham

Evans and Bradham can be described as hard-hitting off-ball linebackers with good athletic talents who're capable in coverage. Bradham was a tad heavier than Evans when he came out of Florida State in 2012. Like Evans demonstrated at Alabama, at times early in his Bradham's pro career he took an extra split second to recognize where he needed to be on the field and was fooled by play-action. Over time, Bradham has become one of the more underrated linebackers in the NFL. Evans will likely follow a similar career path in the NFL.