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Big Joe Thomas....


L.I.MikeBleedsGreen

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If this kid were to fall out of the top 5 picks ,Do you guys think Mangini will try to work his magic and try to steal this kid??

I just asking b/c not to many guys here have brought his name up. Being that all these mock drafts have Quinn going to either the browns and lions that could mix things up in the top 5 for sure,and lets not forget that A.P is also falling out of the top 5.So that tells me that the top 10 is a real big mess ,at least for now.

What do you guys think about this kid??

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Joe Thomas is like the 400 pound gorilla he plays wherever he wants - but the economics will dictate wherever you want to play him you have to PAY him franchise LT money.

the salary cap implications of having two top 5 selections at the 2nd highest paid position in the league (QB is 1, LT is 2) are very serious. not gonna happen... ever. Talk about locks, this is a lock, Joe Thomas will not be a Jet.

oh and by the way he is not a finesse player, he is a very solid road grader run run blocking. Brick isn't as good a run blocker but I wouldn't call him a finesse player either.

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Good Question coach ,just don't say it to loud or these guys will bite your head of dude.lol

and I'd rather have joe ,only b/c he's the size of my house

Its a good question? How do you work that out? We shore up LT and then trade it........for a potentially good player.

Hell will freeze over before Thomas falls out of the top 5

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it doesn't matter who the browns are picking cause the Lions will scoop him at #2. I haven't heard anything about this guys stock dropping for any reason and the odds are he is either #1 or #2 according to the "experts"

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just like leinart
Exactly who I was thinking about when I posted this. Not saying he is falling out of the top 5,I was just saying that A.P is still out there and those teams that pick 2-10 will have a hard time picking Joe T b/c brady Quinn and Peterson are messing things up in the top 5 and teams are having a hard time picking between them.
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How many of you would trade Brick to get Joe Thomas?

Off the top of my head I think they're pretty close as prospects. D'Brick's advantage over Thomas in pass-blocking is negated by Thomas' advantage over Brick in run-blocking. They're fairly even overall.

I wouldn't trade D'Brick for Thomas because pass-blocking is more important for a LT than run-blocking and I think he'll always be better in that regard. I also think he has a little more upside.

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just like leinart

Leinart was not the best at his position by a long shot. Thomas is never going to go past 5th pick , guarenteed.

He is the best OT by a country mile with Levi Brown and Joe Staley trailing in his wake.

For my money Brick is a better tackle , hes certainly stronger .

D'Brickashaw FergusonHeight: 6-6

Weight: 313

40 Speed: 4.95 E

Position: Offensive Tackle

College: Virginia

Final Grade: I 6.5

GM JR Scouting LLC Grading Scale/Key

SUMMARYFerguson is a very talented athlete who was enjoyable to evaluate. He has the very quick feet and playing speed to become a very good left tackle in the NFL, but to do so, he will need to up his level of aggressiveness. There are definitely times when he is frustrating because he does not bend his knees or use his hands aggressively, which hinders his ability to play up to his ability. Overall, he could be an inconsistent player for a season or two early in career, but with experience, he will become more consistent. In three seasons, he should be a very good left tackle who can make all the blocks and can eliminate his man on nearly every snap.

CRITICAL FACTORSSizePlay StrengthPlay SpeedInitial QuicknessCompetesInstincts5.55.57.06.56.06.5

STRONG POINTSFerguson is a very good athlete with the excellent foot quickness and playing speed that is rarely found is a 6-foot-5 tackle. He can pull and lead block on outside runs easily and can adjust well on the move. He gets through to the second level very fast and can stay on and eliminate a linebacker consistently. His foot quickness helps him slide out to the corner to cut off the speed/edge rushers and to redirect and slide inside to cut off the explosive inside pass-rush move.

WEAKNESSESFerguson is thin for a 6-foot-5 tackle and could use an extra 15 pounds. He must play more aggressively to play strong consistently at the point of attack. He does not consistently bend his knees and pass-block with a good base, which causes him to struggle to change his direction to adjust to quick pass-rush moves. He does not fire off the ball and attack the defensive lineman, struggles to get movement on in-line run blocks, and is not effective on reach blocks.

POSITIONAL FACTORSGradeCategoryComments/Description6.5Foot AgilityHe has very good foot agility, but needs to block with a wide base more.6.5Initial QuicknessHe consistently gets off the ball and into his set to block quickly.5.5Play StrengthHis playing strength is completely dependent on his leverage and hand use.6.0Run Block In-LineHe's not a movement run blocker, but generally does a good job on positional blocks.6.5Run Block SpaceHe can adjust well on the move and maintains very well out in space.6.0Pass ProtectionHe's very good when he uses his hands aggressively.6.5Quick Set-Pass ProtectionHe does a very good job of blocking aggressively on short-set passes.6.0Shuffle & SlideHe can be very good, but is not consistent when he gets up high and straight-legged.5.5Punch/Hand-UseHe does not punch in pass protection, but can lock-out, get arm extension and eliminate his man.6.0Vs. Power RushHis flexibility and natural strength help him overcome his lack of bulk/size.6.5Vs. Speed RushHe can slide out to protect the corner and has the feet to adjust well.6.0ErrorsNo glaring errors, but he needs to use better blocking technique every snap.

ATHLETIC ABILITYSection Grade: 6.5Ferguson is a very good athlete with all the tools to be a very good left tackle in the NFL. He has excellent foot quickness to get off the ball and into blocks fast. He consistently gets through the line of scrimmage in a flash to block a linebacker on the second level and can pull and lead block on outside runs easily. He has the natural flexibility to bend his knees, and when he does, he can pass-block with a good, wide base. When he blocks with a good base, he can adjust and maintain blocks well in space and can change his direction to slide inside to cut off the quick inside pass-rush move. While he has very good natural flexibility, he occasionally will block upright, which makes him not as effective in redirecting and sliding in the other direction quickly.

Q.A.B.Quick FeetC.O.D.FlexibilityCoordination6.57.06.56.57.0

COMPETITIVENESSSection Grade: 6.0Despite not being an aggressive player, Ferguson has shown toughness by consistently staying in the lineup through dings/injuries. Despite not always being a dominant player, when it matters the most, he has shown a knack for stepping up and making the key block. His overall production is generally very good, but he is not as consistent as one would like, which limits him. When he blocks up high in pass situations, he is not as effective changing directions. When he does not punch in pass protection, he can be jolted backward by bull rushers and he does not consistently make the reach block effectively. He has shown the competitiveness to be a good team player, but he is not an attacking blocker and does not really deliver a blow to a defender consistently. He has a bad habit of stopping on blocks too soon, which lets his man get involved and disrupt/make too many plays. He needs to stay after and finish his blocks much more consistently.

ToughnessClutch PlayProductionConsistencyTeam PlayerPride/Quit6.06.56.06.06.06.0

MENTAL ALERTNESSSection Grade: 6.0Ferguson is no doubt a smart player, but it is concerning that his blocking technique needs work. He has very good instincts to sense/feel stunts, delayed blitzes and quick inside pass-rush moves, but he does not always react quickly when he is blocking up high and without a good base in pass protection.

Learn/RetainInstincts/ReactionsConcentration6.06.06.0STRENGTH/EXPLOSIONSection Grade: 5.5Ferguson has the height, frame and long arms that are ideal for a left tackle, but he played lighter than his measured weight, and will need to learn to maintain that weight during the season to be productive as a left tackle in the NFL. His athleticism and toughness against injuries has enabled him to be a durable player at Virginia and will help him to maintain his durability in the NFL. Despite being an extremely quick-footed offensive tackle with the ability to be explosive, he never shows explosiveness in his play. He does not fire off the ball or deliver a blow to the defender. He has good natural strength. When he uses his hands well, he plays strong, He can lock out and stop bull rushers in their tracks, and can torque and toss linebackers to the ground on the second level. The trouble is that he blocks up high in rushing situations and struggles to get any movement on in-line run blocks.

Body TypeDurabilityExplosionPlay Strength5.56.55.05.5

If you can be bothered to read it all.....

OVERVIEW

Regarded by many as the best offensive lineman in college football, Thomas comes from a school deep in tradition in producing All-American offensive linemen. Ever since the days of Ray "Tubby" Keeler (1913) through Chris McIntosh (1999), the Badgers have been known for their blocking performances. Thomas is considered the most dominating blocker to wear a Wisconsin uniform since the days of Paul Gruber (1985-87), and joined Dennis Lick (1974-75) as the only Badgers offensive linemen to earn All-America accolades twice in a career.

While most offensive linemen are lumberjack types who occupy space, Thomas is much different than the normal mold you look for in a tackle. He has performed admirably as a tight end in short-yardage situations and excelled in goal-line duties on the defensive line.

Thomas is not only hailed for his exploits on the gridiron, but has also garnered national recognition for record-breaking performances in track and field. He was a 2005 second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection, as he qualified for the 20004 and 2005 NCAA Regionals in the shot put and discus. He also holds the school indoor record in the shot put (62-foot-1¼).

In 2006, Thomas became the first Wisconsin player to win the Outland Trophy. He also became the third Big Ten Conference player in four years to win the Outland Trophy, which goes to the top interior lineman in college football. Iowa offensive tackle Robert Gallery won the Outland in 2003 and Minnesota center Greg Eslinger captured it in 2005. In all, 13 players from current Big Ten schools have won the award.

Thomas, who is projected as one of the top picks in the 2007 NFL Draft, was the mainstay of a Badger offensive line that paved the way for freshman running back P.J. Hill. The Badgers' offense was 21st in the country, scoring 30.3 points per game.

Thomas was a Prep Star (first team) and USA Today (second team) All-America offensive lineman at Brookfield Central High. He was rated the No. 4 offensive tackle in the nation according to Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report and ranked among the top 20 offensive tackles nationally, top 25 players in the Midwest and was rated the No. 3 player in Wisconsin according to Rivals.com. Thomas added Detroit Free Press All-Midwest, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first-team all-state honors as a defensive lineman and second-team all-state accolades as an offensive tackle as a senior.

Thomas was also a first-team all-state defensive pick by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and Associated Press. He was chosen 2002 WFCA Defensive Player of the Year with fellow Badger Justin Ostrowski, as Thomas recorded 85 tackles and 12 quarterback sacks as a senior, adding 70 tackles and eight sacks his junior campaign. He was a three-time all-conference selection in football, lettering four times in that sport.

He also lettered four times in both track and basketball. He captained the football and basketball teams his senior year and was a four-time Honor Roll student, in addition to garnering U.S. Army Academic All-America honors. In track, Thomas finished fifth in the national finals in the shot put as a junior. He earned all-conference, all-area and all-state recognition in both the shot put and discus.

Thomas enrolled at Wisconsin in 2003 and immediately provided key contributions. He was utilized most of the season as a blocking tight end, but shifted to left defensive end when injuries plagued the line. He produced seven tackles with a stop behind the line of scrimmage vs. Auburn in the Music City Bowl.

Thomas took over left offensive tackle duties from Morgan Davis in 2004. He earned Academic All-Big Ten Conference and all-district honors, adding honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition for his performance on the field. He graded 82.5 percent for blocking consistency, as he produced 13 touchdown-resulting blocks and 74 knockdowns, including 48 for the team's renowned rushing attack.

In the spring of 2005, Thomas set the school indoor track record in the shot put. On the football field, he came into his own as a blocker, earning second-team All-America and consensus All-Big Ten Conference first-team accolades. He led the nation's down linemen with an 87.1 percent grade for blocking consistency, as he also paced the NCAA Division I-A blockers with an incredible 29 touchdown-resulting blocks (team had 53 touchdown drives on offense). He collected 110 knockdowns, making 19 crucial blocks downfield and allowed only four quarterback sacks on 909 offensive plays. The Draddy Award semifinalist continued his dominance in 2006. Thomas led the nation's down linemen with a 92 percent grade for blocking consistency. He produced 127 key blocks/knockdowns with 27 touchdown-resulting blocks and also recorded two solo tackles. He also delivered 21 downfield blocks. In 47 games at Wisconsin, Thomas started 37 times at left offensive tackle and once on the defensive line. He registered 311 knockdown blocks with 69 of those stops resulting in Wisconsin touchdowns. He registered 56 of his blocks downfield and graded 87.39 percent for blocking consistency. He also registered 12 tackles (five solos).

ANALYSISPositives: Has a developing frame that could carry at least another 20 pounds of bulk with no loss in quickness … Possesses a thick upper body with broad shoulders, adequate muscle development, good arm length and strong hands … Shows classic natural knee bend with good hip snap to redirect and mirror the edge rushers … Nimble moving his feet in his pass set-up, retreating fluidly while maintaining body control … Shows good urgency and leg drive coming off the snap, demonstrating the knee bend to drop his weight well in pass protection … Capable of locating and neutralizing the edge rushers … Excels in the classroom, twice earning national academic honors and will have no problems digesting a complicated playbook … Quick coming off the snap, gaining position and generating movement to sustain … Shows very good in-line body control and agility, demonstrating a quick kick slide in pass protection … Stays low in his pads, dropping his weight to maintain balance and does a nice job of opening rush lanes on pulls and traps … With his quickness and balance, he consistently covers defenders up … Has no problems getting his body low enough to attain leverage, especially with his impressive knee bend … Plays well on his feet and possesses the lateral agility and quickness to adjust and sustain blocks on the move … Quick and agile enough to generate solid second-level blocks and works hard to maintain the rushing crease (193 of his 311 knockdown blocks came in run support) … Runs his feet well and has a good base with a very good understanding of taking proper angles when working along the perimeter … Has exceptional knee bend and hip flexibility in his retreat and shows good patience waiting for the defender to attack … His lateral slide lets him reach his cutoff point and readjust when working on the edge … His pass-drop quickness lets him generate the depth needed to anchor … Demonstrates the footwork and balance to stay on his feet, move around and handle switch-offs … Takes good angles to cut off at the second level and has the flexibility to adjust and pickup coverages working down the field … Has that sudden burst off the line to gain advantage when positioning in-line and the quickness to reach the second level … Explosive hip roller who has the upper-body strength to push and wall off … Shows vastly improved hand placement to jolt and control the defender … Plays on his feet and is an aggressive finisher … Can quickly gain position off the snap and takes good angles to cut off the second-level defenders … Very effective when used on long pulls due to his speed and hip snap … Has the balance and agility to quickly slide and get to his reach point. Negatives: Used to be inconsistent with his hands, but showed good improvement in 2006, throwing his hands with much quicker timing and learned to use his reach to press and keep the defender at bay … Has a strong punch to shock and jolt his opponent, but must do it with more consistency … Must bring his arms up quicker when punching, but he showed better consistency in 2006 in using his hands to gain position and replace in pass protection.

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Leinart was not the best at his position by a long shot. Thomas is never going to go past 5th pick , guarenteed.

He is the best OT by a country mile with Levi Brown and Joe Staley trailing in his wake.

For my money Brick is a better tackle , hes certainly stronger .

If you can be bothered to read it all.....

Long shot? I think Young was/is better, but its very close, they both have great tools. The draft last year was deep at QB, that isn't saying that Leinart is any worse just because Young, and Cutler happened to be in the same class.

This year's tackle class is not as good as last years, otherwise the spread wouldn't be nearly as much. It still doesn't make thomas that much better than (if he is infact better) than Brick, Mcneil, justice, or winston.

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