The basic fusion driver requirements of a toroidal materials production reactor are considered. The tokamak, stellarator, bumpy torus, and reversed-field pinch are compared with regard to their demonstrated performance, probable near-term development, and potential advantages and disadvantages if used as reactors for materials production. Of the candidate fusion drivers, the tokamak is determined to be the most viable for a near-term production reactor. Four tokamak reactor concepts (TORFA/FED-R, AFTR/ZEPHYR, Riggatron, and Superconducting Coil) of approximately 500-MW fusion power are compared with regard to their demands on plasma performance, required fusion technology development, and blanket configuration characteristics. Because of its relatively moderate requirements on fusion plasma physics and technology development, as well as its superior configuration of production blankets, the TORFA/FED-R type of reactor operating with a fusion power gain of about 3 is found to be the most suitable tokamak candidate for implementation as a near-term production reactor.