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Features, NFL News, Top Posts2010 NFL draft preview: Earl Thomas busts a move
A scant few weeks into the mock draft season and already we have our second shock, again courtesy of NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock. For months, Tennessee’s Eric Berry has carried the label as the next Ed Reed and the best safety in his draft class. Well…
The nflposts.com crew doesn’t project Berry to be nowhere near the next Reed and, apparently, neither does Mayock, who has slid Reed in behind Texas’ Earl Thomas in his rankings.
For weeks, Berry has been the vogue No. 3 overall pick, now he’s not even the best safety available? That’s the way the mock rolls, folks.
Thomas, a redshirt sophomore, has a similar physique to Berry.
The Longhorns S is 5’10”, 197 lbs. while the Vol measures 5’11”, 203 lbs. Their speed and strength measurements also figure to be similar. Moreover, both play with the reckless abandon of current NFL strong safeties Troy Polamalu and Bob Sanders.
The difference between the two may lie in ball skills. Texas required Thomas to be far more involved against the pass than Tennessee asked of Berry but the video evidence proves that the stats are not far off the mark.
In 2009, Thomas led the nation with a Reed-like 24 passes defended and was second with 8 INTs. Berry was credited with 6 passes defended and came up with 2 INTs.
Even in Berry’s breakout sophomore season with 7 INTs, the Volunteer only had 6 passes defended.
Thomas has better range and may be closer to Reed in terms of a playmaker than Berry but the Tennessee product is a better tackler. Though he gets there quick enough, Thomas, at times, tries to tackle too high or fails to wrap up the ball carrier. He has also been a victim of taking the wrong angle to the ball.
Thomas’ man-to-man cover skills are, like Berry, above average for a safety but his height could be an issue against taller TEs. Though not in Berry’s elite class as a returner, Thomas returned 2 INTs for TDs in 2009.
Thomas might provide a better fit at FS in the NFL, having also played CB in his freshman season.
Originally considered a potential mid-first-round selection by the Giants (15th), 49ers (17th) or Texans (20th), Thomas could scale up further in the weeks leading up to the draft.
THE THOMAS FILE
Height: 5-10 Weight: 197 lbs.
Born: May 7, 1989
Hometown: Orange, Tx.
| Year | Tackles | Sacks | FFs | INTs |
| 2009 | 63 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 2008 | 71 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
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