The former Dundee man opened his account for his new club in Sunday's Premier Sports Cup win against Livingston with a rasping effort from 20 yards to seal the victory, and has been a vital cog in [David Gray](https://www.hibsobserver.co.uk/topics/david-gray/)'s midfield in European matches and on the domestic front.
It is those displays that have earned him comparisons with McGinn, who joined Hibs from St Mirren in the summer of 2015 and shone in the engine room before earning a move to Aston Villa three years later.
But Mulligan isn't getting carried away by being likened to another young Scottish midfielder with the same initials.
"Obviously, John McGinn was a great player – still is a great player – and to be compared to someone like him is a really good compliment, I'd say," he said, when asked about the comparisons as he previewed the first leg of Hibs' Conference League play-off tie against Legia Warsaw.
"I just focus on my own game and not try to get caught up in that or start comparing myself to other players. But it's a nice comparison," he added. "McGinn has been a massive player for Scotland as well, probably one of the most influential players. He's someone you look at and strive to follow."
Mulligan also hopes Hibs can secure an extended run in Europe by qualifying for the league phase of the Conference League – because he reckons it will help his chances of earning a senior Scotland call-up after 16 caps for the under-21s.
"That's something you look at and think, 'There are other players my age who have managed to break in.' You try not to think about it too much. You just think, play well in the next game. If you keep doing that, you never know.
"The European games have definitely helped. You're playing against better teams, and that means more exposure. Hopefully, in the next two games against Legia Warsaw, we can get a good result and make a bit of history as well," he added.