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Scouting Report-Thomas has a massive frame, with long arms and huge hands. He almost looks like a tight end in a wide outs body. And in a lot of ways, he plays like one. Thomas is a really strong, physical player in the run game where he excels as a blocker. As a wide out, he's able to just mandhandle the jam at the line of scrimmage and overpower defenders getting to the football and after the catch. In a lot of ways this is where the glowing positives about Thomas end. He does have good hands, and shows that at times. When you analyze Thomas from a technical standpoint, what you have is a player who was able to accumulate great stats by being the only viable receiving option on a team that ran the ball 70 percent of the time. Not a glowing report, I know. But I do think that Thomas has a ton of upside, and the fact that he has been all about his team, doing whatever is asked of him, and still able to be so productive speaks volumes for me.
Draft Staus-Thomas is not an elite prospect. But he's got ideal size and tons of physical tools. This means some team is going to go after him. I suspect either late day one, or early on day two, somewhere between 50 and 75. Every team wants to get big at the wide out spot, and if you are a power run team, adding Thomas is like adding an extra blocking TE who can catch.
Final Analysis-Even though Thomas is a poor route runner, and not a technically sound wide receiver, he was wise to declare. Why? Because he was going to get no better another year at Georgia Tech in the option. He's better off getting drafted and getting stashed on a roster and be able to actually learn how to play wide out than go compile more stats while getting no better. His speed isn't great which probably hurts him as much as anything, but you can't say a player can't learn to become a better route runner in the pros. What you can say is a wide out can't suddenly become 6-3. I'm rooting for Thomas to get healthy from his injury he got this offseason and develop into a great pro. He's had to flounder on that Tech team, and did so without a complaint. Coaches like players who do what is asked of them, and work hard. Yes, he's got to become far more disciplined in his routes and cuts, and become more consistent in his catches. But I can't fault a kid's lack of focus on occassion when 7 out of 10 snaps he's either a diversion or an extra tackle. I give Thomas way more upside than most do, because when he's good you can see what could be with him and his ceiling is high.
Reminds me of-Dwayne Bowe, WR Kansas City Chiefs-Bowe is a big bodied wide out, who lacks deep speed, and polish in the technical aspects of the game, as well as focus. Thomas is a much better blocker than Bowe, but in terms of a receiving threat, they are quite comparable.
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Scouting Report written by Curt Popejoy |
