A favorite activity during NFL draft time is comparing this year's available players to those in years past. Termed a once-in-a-decade type talent, Houston Texans outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney certainly drew comparisons to some of the NFL's great pass-rushers as he prepared to become the first overall pick last year.

So we'll take notice when, just a year later, Greg Cosell of NFL Films offers his thoughts on why he thinks there's an even better athlete in this year's draft. That would be Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory.

"Well he's a better athlete than Clowney," Cosell said when prompted by our friend Paul Kuharsky on Midday 180, a Nashville radio station. "He's more flexible. He's more explosive in his movement. Clearly not as strong. Clowney could get inside and push back. Clowney did not have the loose hips that this guy does. Gregory is a much more explosive mover, a much looser athlete."

The issue of the looseness of Clowney's hips caught my attention. Very shortly after signing his rookie contract with the Texans, Clowney had a sports hernia surgery that I've heard might have been an issue for a while before that. It's definitely an injury that could impact a player's flexibility and hip movements. Assuming Cosell's opinion was formed off college tape, which I think it was, that could explain some of what he saw.

Cosell went on to describe the difference in the two players' styles.

"It's like watching running backs," he said. "You know immediately when you watch running backs, the guys when they hit the point of attack are shifty and elusive versus the guys that are a little stiff and can't do that. Gregory's kind of shifty and elusive in his movement. He's a quick-twitch, explosive guy laterally. Clowney was more straight-line power."

You can listen to the full interview here. The extended portion about Clowney begins at the 12:28 mark. Earlier in the interview he talks about other pass-rushers, raving in particular about Florida's Dante Fowler Jr.