ESPN recently compiled a list of some of the top-300 remaining recruits in the class of 2023, picking a current NFL star to compare each recruit to.
That is a particularly difficult task when discussing two-way prospect Collins Acheampong, who is set to visit the Oregon Ducks this weekend.
ESPN acknowledged Acheampong, who played tight end and defensive end in high school and could reasonably play both at the next level, is a unique challenge — but it settled on a name that will certainly raise eyebrows in Eugene: former No. 1 NFL pick and Pro Bowl defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
“Clowney was already established as an elite prospect and rated No. 1 heading into his senior year, so this might seem like a bit of a stretch,” authors Tom Luginbill and Craig Haubert acknowledged. “In many ways, though, this also seems like a natural fit.”
Acheampong hasn’t played since his freshman year of high school, so he certainly will not be a finished product the way Clowney was coming into college at South Carolina. But as ESPN points out — some of the measurables are strikingly similar:
“Both are towering, lengthy edge defenders with nearly identical reach and hand sizes. Beyond the size, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound Acheampong blends equally impressive speed and agility, posting a similar L-drill (7.33) time this spring to Clowney’s at the NFL combine (7.27).”
Acheampong is being recruited by UCLA and Washington, as well as Michigan and Miami, but Dan Lanning’s comfort with two-way players — and his recent string of successes on the recruiting trail — could help seal another big win for the Ducks this offseason.
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