NFL Teams Most Similar to the Sun Devils
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ASU's football has done an amazing job over the past couple of years. However, it is that time of year when the draft is coming into play. One way to tell where Sun Devil players could go is to recognize what NFL teams are like ASU, so who are those teams?
Detroit Lions
Like the Sun Devils, the Lions have a great Head Coach to rally around in Dan Campbell. Campbell started coaching Detroit in 2021 and has done an awesome job with the franchise. Much like Coach Dillingham, Campbell has turned around the Lions quickly, as he took them to the NFC Championship in 2023, even though they lost that game to the San Francisco 49ers. It is still a fantastic accomplishment.
In 2024, the Lions were the Number One Seed and won their division, which included beating out their division rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, who were also really good that season. Like Dillingham, Campbell has yet to win the super big game, but also like Dillingham, Campbell has a lot of other really good accomplishments fans can be proud of.
Not only are the Sun Devils and Lions Head Coaches similar, but they also have a similar type of culture. Both teams like to take players who are going to help them achieve and build towards that goal, and not just take any players. Overall, both the Sun Devils and Lions are franchises that have turned things around lately and are serious about building their culture.
Sun Devil Players who could fit
Sun Devil Cornerback Keith Abney II would make a really great Lion. Abney II plays with that energy and intensity that the Lions would love. Plus, the Lions could use a corner as their young cornerback, Terion Arnold has had an inconsistent career so far. So drafting Abney II could probably help Arnold and the Lions defense as a whole.
Edge Rusher Clayton Smith would also be a great Lion. He has the explosiveness and physical presence that Coach Campbell and crew would love. Smith could play opposite superstar edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson and Smith would be one of the more explosive edge rushing duos in the NFL.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos and Sun Devils do have a somewhat similar culture, as the Broncos have turned things around recently. However, where the Broncos and Sun Devils are very similar is that they both have really good defenses.
Great Defenses
ASU Defensive Coordinator Brian Ward and Broncos DC Vance Joseph have both done amazing things recently. For Ward, ASU only allowed 30 points plus once this season, which was against Utah. Only allowing 30 points plus is an amazing accomplishment, as the Sun Devils faced several explosive offenses this season, such as the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
The Broncos defense has been an absolutely elite unit this year. Vance Joseph has done a great job from a speedy pass rush to a lock down secondary, Denver's defense has been top tier this season.
Sun Devil Players who could fit
So, the Sun Devils and Broncos both have great defenses, so who are some Sun Devil players that could go to the Broncos? One is Keyshaun Elliott, who could, in a couple of years, transition to being the captain of Denver's defense. The Broncos have pretty good defensive tackles, but adding C.J. Fite with his strength and technique could provide a boost to Denver's d-line.
Overall, the Broncos and Lions both align very well with ASU and it will be interesting to see how many Sun Devils end up on either of these teams.
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Tanner Cappellini holds a mass communications degree from Arizona State University and is pursuing his dream of being the person at the games, practices, and events who takes others inside the team they love.