Devin Thomas...

[lets_go_bills]

Devin Thomas is potentially one of the guys we are targeting with the 11th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

 

While he is considered a "one-year-wonder" a look at this stats suggest he could be a star in the NFL.

 

Here is his game stats from his 2007 campaign at Michigan State:

 

Note: School - Catches, Yards, TDs.

 

1. UAB - 5, 106, 1

2. Bowling Green - 4, 156, 1

3. Pittsburgh - 3, 53, 0

4. Notre Dame - 4, 55, 1

5. Wisconsin - 4, 111, 1

6. Northwestern - 5, 61, 0

7. Indiana - 13, 148, 1

8. Ohio State - 4, 77, 0

9. Iowa - 9, 139, 0

10. Michigan - 7, 65, 0

11. Purdue - 10, 116, 0

12. Pen State - 7, 139, 3

Bowl Game. Boston College - 4, 34, 0

 

In the college game it's the RB who puts up monster stats, not the WR. That said his year stats are:

 

Catches: 79

Receiving Yards: 1260

Receiving TDs: 8

 

So...

Seven out of 13 games he went over 100 yards,

Monster game against JoePa and the Nittany Lions,

Kind of disappeared in the Bowl game,

At 6'2" 215lbs has NFL size.

 

Yeah, he only has one year of solid production but it was VERY solid production. He never got the chance to shine until 2007, so I don't see it as a fluke, but you do like to see a track record of success so you can predict the future better. But his upside is huge, potential limitless. Heck, if he's a late bloomer than he can only get better. He just needs a little polish, and wokring opposite Lee Evans could get him there.

 

While Malcolm Kelly has yet to workout (April 9th), he still is probably the guy. But Devin Thomas looks good too.

 

Let me know your thoughts folks.

[Jerry Jabber]

Devin Thomas is potentially one of the guys we are targeting with the 11th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

 

While he is considered a "one-year-wonder" a look at this stats suggest he could be a star in the NFL.

 

Here is his game stats from his 2007 campaign at Michigan State:

 

Note: School - Catches, Yards, TDs.

 

1. UAB - 5, 106, 1

2. Bowling Green - 4, 156, 1

3. Pittsburgh - 3, 53, 0

4. Notre Dame - 4, 55, 1

5. Wisconsin - 4, 111, 1

6. Northwestern - 5, 61, 0

7. Indiana - 13, 148, 1

8. Ohio State - 4, 77, 0

9. Iowa - 9, 139, 0

10. Michigan - 7, 65, 0

11. Purdue - 10, 116, 0

12. Pen State - 7, 139, 3

Bowl Game. Boston College - 4, 34, 0

 

In the college game it's the RB who puts up monster stats, not the WR. That said his year stats are:

 

Catches: 79

Receiving Yards: 1260

Receiving TDs: 8

 

So...

Seven out of 13 games he went over 100 yards,

Monster game against JoePa and the Nittany Lions,

Kind of disappeared in the Bowl game,

At 6'2" 215lbs has NFL size.

 

Yeah, he only has one year of solid production but it was VERY solid production. He never got the chance to shine until 2007, so I don't see it as a fluke, but you do like to see a track record of success so you can predict the future better. But his upside is huge, potential limitless. Heck, if he's a late bloomer than he can only get better. He just needs a little polish, and wokring opposite Lee Evans could get him there.

 

While Malcolm Kelly has yet to workout (April 9th), he still is probably the guy. But Devin Thomas looks good too.

 

Let me know your thoughts folks.

 

Looks like the player we need. If we draft either Kelly or Thomas, I will be happy. I feel confident in either player.

[MattyT]

I like Devin Thomas a lot, but with the 11th pick? Really? Has his stock risen that high?

[DanInSouthBuffalo]

While Malcolm Kelly has yet to workout (April 9th), he still is probably the guy. But Devin Thomas looks good too.

 

 

Kelly has to work out and if he runs a poor time (like 4.6 or 4.7) there's no way he'll be selected that high.

I think #11 is too high for any of the receivers anyway. If we could move down to #13-#17 I wouldn't care who we selected because we would get added value.

[Beerball]

Don't know about anyone else, but the 1 year wonder label doesn't worry me one bit. I would rather pick up someone like him than someone with injury concerns.

 

But, I don't like him or any other WR this year @ 11.

[lets_go_bills]

Kelly has to work out and if he runs a poor time (like 4.6 or 4.7) there's no way he'll be selected that high.

I think #11 is too high for any of the receivers anyway. If we could move down to #13-#17 I wouldn't care who we selected because we would get added value.

 

I agree, 11 is too high for WR.

But it's our biggest need so I wouldn't be surprised at all if we "reached" for one.

Ideally I would love to trade down and aquire more picks while being able to still get the same WR. I think it all depends on how the draft unfolds. I mean, if the Vikings have Harvey high on their board than maybe they would trade up with us. It's so tough to predict trades though.

[Brandon]

Kelly has to work out and if he runs a poor time (like 4.6 or 4.7) there's no way he'll be selected that high.

I think #11 is too high for any of the receivers anyway. If we could move down to #13-#17 I wouldn't care who we selected because we would get added value.

 

Just out of curiosity, what makes a WR (or most positions) a value at 13-17 and a poor choice at 11?

 

The guy can either play or he can't.

[Beerball]

The guy can either play or he can't.

Truely that is all that matters isn't it?

 

The higher the pick the more sure a team is of that player's future success. If a team is sure that Thomas or Sweed or Kelly will be a highly successful pro (you should expect a highly successful pro @ 11 shouldn't you?) they should make the pick.

[Brandon]

Truely that is all that matters isn't it?

 

The higher the pick the more sure a team is of that player's future success. If a team is sure that Thomas or Sweed or Kelly will be a highly successful pro (you should expect a highly successful pro @ 11 shouldn't you?) they should make the pick.

 

Exactly. If I wouldn't draft the guy at 11, I probably wouldn't at 25, either. I expect a Pro Bowler (or damn close to it) at either spot. Again, he can either play or he can't. He's either good or he's not. Justifying a pick by dropping a few spots is like slapping lipstick on a pig.

[lets_go_bills]

Just out of curiosity, what makes a WR (or most positions) a value at 13-17 and a poor choice at 11?

 

The guy can either play or he can't.

 

LOL. I totally get where you're coming from bro, and I agree 100%. The draft is crazy like that. My best guess would be that the draft is a product of over-analyzing.

 

So-called draft-gurus or draft-experts are quick to bash a team for "reaching" for a guy, but why the hell wouldn't you go with the guy who fills your biggest need!?

 

Case and point being Whitner. Everybody was surprised by this pick. The Bills knew what they were doing, they picked the guy they liked who filled a need.

 

Sometimes trading down isn't always possible.

 

If the "value" isn't there, trade down, if you can't just take the guy you need. It's so simple.

[mary owen]

Limited experience has been my concern with Thomas from the start. I would think with the urgency the Bills are in to win, a WR with more actual game experience is what our scouts would have been following. Another thing of importance would be which WR prospect played in a pro-style offense more in his collegiate career.

 

all that said, I still would wait til the second round and work the big WR depth of this draft. CB's and DL would seem to net a more immediate impact player at pick #11.

[SuperKillerRobots]

Limited experience has been my concern with Thomas from the start. I would think with the urgency the Bills are in to win, a WR with more actual game experience is what our scouts would have been following. Another thing of importance would be which WR prospect played in a pro-style offense more in his collegiate career.

 

all that said, I still would wait til the second round and work the big WR depth of this draft. CB's and DL would seem to net a more immediate impact player at pick #11.

 

I read an idea on here a while ago (it might have been lost) about WR prospects who are physical at the line and able to beat the jam consistenly at the college level are more apt to be productive right off the bat in the NFL. This makes sense since the majority of the time you see a rookie WR getting good production, it usually comes from the slot where there is less of a chance for a jam at the line. Does anyone have any good reports on the ability of the WRs in this draft class to beat a jam? Anyone agree with that idea?

[robertpaul49]

Kelly has to work out and if he runs a poor time (like 4.6 or 4.7) there's no way he'll be selected that high.

I think #11 is too high for any of the receivers anyway. If we could move down to #13-#17 I wouldn't care who we selected because we would get added value.

 

I think the issue is leaving value on the table. I think it is foolish to reach for a player when a team can trade down get as good a player and get more chances to draft more quality players. Also, it would be better to draft a better player in a position of the highest need than the to reach for highest need and overall talent level of the team suffers.

 

I don't think that the Bills are one player away, and if the Bills are going to catch up with the Patriots they are going to have to get a lot more talented.

[Steely Dan]

Devin Thomas is potentially one of the guys we are targeting with the 11th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

 

While he is considered a "one-year-wonder" a look at this stats suggest he could be a star in the NFL.

 

Here is his game stats from his 2007 campaign at Michigan State:

 

Note: School - Catches, Yards, TDs.

 

1. UAB - 5, 106, 1

2. Bowling Green - 4, 156, 1

3. Pittsburgh - 3, 53, 0

4. Notre Dame - 4, 55, 1

5. Wisconsin - 4, 111, 1

6. Northwestern - 5, 61, 0

7. Indiana - 13, 148, 1

8. Ohio State - 4, 77, 0

9. Iowa - 9, 139, 0

10. Michigan - 7, 65, 0

11. Purdue - 10, 116, 0

12. Pen State - 7, 139, 3

Bowl Game. Boston College - 4, 34, 0

 

In the college game it's the RB who puts up monster stats, not the WR. That said his year stats are:

 

Catches: 79

Receiving Yards: 1260

Receiving TDs: 8

 

So...

Seven out of 13 games he went over 100 yards,

Monster game against JoePa and the Nittany Lions,

Kind of disappeared in the Bowl game,

At 6'2" 215lbs has NFL size.

 

Yeah, he only has one year of solid production but it was VERY solid production. He never got the chance to shine until 2007, so I don't see it as a fluke, but you do like to see a track record of success so you can predict the future better. But his upside is huge, potential limitless. Heck, if he's a late bloomer than he can only get better. He just needs a little polish, and wokring opposite Lee Evans could get him there.

 

While Malcolm Kelly has yet to workout (April 9th), he still is probably the guy. But Devin Thomas looks good too.

 

Let me know your thoughts folks.

 

Thanks for posting that because now I want the Bills to run away from him, far away from him! He had crappy games, by college standards, against Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Ohio State, Michigan and in a bowl game!

 

He seems to be very inconsistent and has only shown anything for one year. The worst part, IMO, is that he disappeared in a bowl game. A gauge of a players worthiness is how they play in the big games and this guy choked like Rosie O'Donnell on a man.

 

One year of inconsistent production and got lost in the big game. I'd rate him as 6th rounder in my opinion. Limas Sweed is the only kid worthy of the 11th pick IMO. He won't be there by the Bills pick in the second round so he doesn't qualify as a reach IMO. I've heard his wrist is going to fully heal and I think that's the only reason he's been downgraded. He's tough too he tried to play through his wrist injury.

 

Overview

 

Entering his final season, Sweed was rated the best receiver in college football and one of the nation's top 25 draft prospects by ESPN. However, a left wrist injury that started to bother him in spring camp carried over into fall drills. The injury would force Sweed to the sidelines for stretches throughout the first six games of his final season. His year would finally come to a close after he underwent surgery in mid-October to repair ligament damage.

 

Before his career would come to a close, Sweed etched his name into the Longhorns' record books. The two-time All-Big 12 selection ranks second in school history with 20 touchdown catches. While starting 39 consecutive games, he totaled 1,915 yards receiving, the fifth-best season total in Texas history. He also hauled in 124 passes, good for sixth place on UT's all-time record list.

 

Sweed formed an instant bond with quarterback Colt McCoy, who threw 15 touchdowns to the receiver.

 

"I think he gets overlooked a lot because he's a great receiver -- he has such great hands," McCoy said. "When we have running plays, anytime we make a big play, it's because Limas is down there making a block."

 

Linkage

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truely that is all that matters isn't it?

 

The higher the pick the more sure a team is of that player's future success. If a team is sure that Thomas or Sweed or Kelly will be a highly successful pro (you should expect a highly successful pro @ 11 shouldn't you?) they should make the pick.

 

[Brandon]

I read an idea on here a while ago (it might have been lost) about WR prospects who are physical at the line and able to beat the jam consistenly at the college level are more apt to be productive right off the bat in the NFL. This makes sense since the majority of the time you see a rookie WR getting good production, it usually comes from the slot where there is less of a chance for a jam at the line. Does anyone have any good reports on the ability of the WRs in this draft class to beat a jam? Anyone agree with that idea?

 

That's something I'd agree with, particularly in the case of bigger WRs who can't beat press coverage on quickness alone. Of the top group this year, Limas Sweed probably has the best reputation, though whether reputation and reality are the same, I don't know. He also has the reputation of being a very hard worker on and off the field.

 

One negative on Sweed? Age. The Bills have shown a tendency to take some of the youngest players available early in the draft. Sweed is actually slightly overage, turning 24 late this year and is a full two years older than both Kelly and Thomas.

[Horus]

my only concern with Thomas is that hes 6' 2" and only has a 28" vertical leap while Sweed and Hardy both had 35" or more vertical leap..plus both are taller....I havent seen Thomas play so for those of you that have, how is he at going up over tall DB's that can jump?

[Brandon]

my only concern with Thomas is that hes 6' 2" and only has a 28" vertical leap while Sweed and Hardy both had 35" or more vertical leap..plus both are taller....I havent seen Thomas play so for those of you that have, how is he at going up over tall DB's that can jump?

 

All of the vertical jump measurements from the combine were wrong this year. Thomas's Pro Day jump was 33", still a little weak. Sweed posted a 37.

[deep2evans]

Just out of curiosity, what makes a WR (or most positions) a value at 13-17 and a poor choice at 11?

 

The guy can either play or he can't.

 

Perfectly said. The NFL Draft, with its "reaches", "busts", experts, mock drafts, pro days, ect. has to be the most fickle thing in all of sports. Is there anyone in sports whose opinion matters less than Mel Kiper? Yet, teams are awarded draft grades just days after the draft, solely depending on where players went in comparison to Kiper's projections. It makes me sick.

 

With that said, I'm 100% addicted and always will be

[lets_go_bills]

Thanks for posting that because now I want the Bills to run away from him, far away from him! He had crappy games, by college standards, against Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Ohio State, Michigan and in a bowl game!

 

He seems to be very inconsistent and has only shown anything for one year. The worst part, IMO, is that he disappeared in a bowl game. A gauge of a players worthiness is how they play in the big games and this guy choked like Rosie O'Donnell on a man.

 

One year of inconsistent production and got lost in the big game. I'd rate him as 6th rounder in my opinion. Limas Sweed is the only kid worthy of the 11th pick IMO. He won't be there by the Bills pick in the second round so he doesn't qualify as a reach IMO. I've heard his wrist is going to fully heal and I think that's the only reason he's been downgraded. He's tough too he tried to play through his wrist injury.

 

Overview

 

Entering his final season, Sweed was rated the best receiver in college football and one of the nation's top 25 draft prospects by ESPN. However, a left wrist injury that started to bother him in spring camp carried over into fall drills. The injury would force Sweed to the sidelines for stretches throughout the first six games of his final season. His year would finally come to a close after he underwent surgery in mid-October to repair ligament damage.

 

Before his career would come to a close, Sweed etched his name into the Longhorns' record books. The two-time All-Big 12 selection ranks second in school history with 20 touchdown catches. While starting 39 consecutive games, he totaled 1,915 yards receiving, the fifth-best season total in Texas history. He also hauled in 124 passes, good for sixth place on UT's all-time record list.

 

Sweed formed an instant bond with quarterback Colt McCoy, who threw 15 touchdowns to the receiver.

 

"I think he gets overlooked a lot because he's a great receiver -- he has such great hands," McCoy said. "When we have running plays, anytime we make a big play, it's because Limas is down there making a block."

 

Linkage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His "bad" games as you call them aren't that bad. The only game that concerns me is his bowl game performance.

 

If you consider 7 catches for 64 yards against Michigan a bad game then you are on harsh critic.

Same for 4 and 77 against the Ohio State (number one team).

 

Let us compare Thomas' junior campaign to that of Sweed's junior campaign.

 

Thomas catches: 79 Sweed catches: 46

Thomas yards: 1260 Sweed yards: 801

Thomas TDs: 8 Sweed TDs: 12 (McCoy is a far bett QB than Hoyer)

Thomas yard av: 15.9 Sweed yard av: 17.4

Thomas 100yd games: 7 Sweed 100yd games: 3

 

Sweed had "bad" games too. It happens.

 

There is no clear-cut front-runner for top WR this year. There is no Calvin Johnson.

 

For Devin Thomas, in that bowl game, which was against BC, which was QB'd by Matt Ryan, it wasn't Thomas who disappeared, Hoyer went 14 of 36 for only 131 yards with 2 TDs and 4 INTs and a fumble.

 

You gotta do your homework bro.

 

I can see why you aren't high on him, but there have been countless players who have had bad bowl games and go on to have great careers. Besides a WR can only be good if his QB can get him the ball, Hoyer was so bad in that game it's no surprise Thomas' stats are only 4-34-0. Thomas caught 4 of the only 14 completed passes, and had 34 of the 131 yards passed.

 

I look forward to your rebuttal. I love debate

[Steely Dan]

His "bad" games as you call them aren't that bad. The only game that concerns me is his bowl game performance.

 

If you consider 7 catches for 64 yards against Michigan a bad game then you are on harsh critic.

Same for 4 and 77 against the Ohio State (number one team).

 

Let us compare Thomas' junior campaign to that of Sweed's junior campaign.

 

Thomas catches: 79 Sweed catches: 46

Thomas yards: 1260 Sweed yards: 801

Thomas TDs: 8 Sweed TDs: 12 (McCoy is a far bett QB than Hoyer)

Thomas yard av: 15.9 Sweed yard av: 17.4

Thomas 100yd games: 7 Sweed 100yd games: 3

 

Sweed had "bad" games too. It happens.

 

There is no clear-cut front-runner for top WR this year. There is no Calvin Johnson.

 

For Devin Thomas, in that bowl game, which was against BC, which was QB'd by Matt Ryan, it wasn't Thomas who disappeared, Hoyer went 14 of 36 for only 131 yards with 2 TDs and 4 INTs and a fumble.

 

You gotta do your homework bro.

 

I can see why you aren't high on him, but there have been countless players who have had bad bowl games and go on to have great careers. Besides a WR can only be good if his QB can get him the ball, Hoyer was so bad in that game it's no surprise Thomas' stats are only 4-34-0. Thomas caught 4 of the only 14 completed passes, and had 34 of the 131 yards passed.

 

I look forward to your rebuttal. I love debate

 

A lot of people have called me a masterdebater? Or something like that.

 

I knew that but Thomas has done it for one year. Sweed's senior season is a ? how would he have done without the injury? As it states above he was considered the best WR in college. His wrist problems are what dropped him. I give the kid credit for playing through the pain and trying. Thomas has only done it for one year and Sweed, IMO, would have had a year like Thomas if he stayed healthy. On ESPN's draft site they have Thomas listed as the fifth best receiver and Sweed the second best to Malcolm Kelly. I'll take Sweed any day over Thomas.