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David Levine -> RE: 2026 NFL Draft (4/25/2026 11:46:45 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen
Just read Thomas had 76 total tackles, 4 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 5 Int, 6 PD, and 2 FF last year [:-] Sounds perfect for Flores.
From Seifert, ESPN: Thomas' versatility was most interesting to the Vikings. He had five interceptions and allowed only one touchdown in coverage last season at Miami, where he spent one season after beginning college at Middle Tennessee State and then moving to Tennessee. He also had 10 quarterback pressures.
• Good size and length to contest catches and disrupt throwing windows downfield.
• Reliable ball skills with soft hands; four career picks before arriving at Miami.
• Reads quarterback eyes well in zone and breaks on the ball with good timing.
• Comfortable operating in multiple coverages, from two-high to single-high to robber looks.
• NC State tape shows he can recognize route concepts early and jump throws underneath.
• Processes information quickly in coverage and finds throwing lanes to sit in.
• Has played in four different defensive systems and picked up each one without issue.
Thomas' combination of size, instincts, and ball skills checks boxes that defensive coordinators desperately need when constructing their back end, particularly as offenses continue spreading the field and attacking vertically. The guy can cover, plain and simple. He reads routes, breaks on throws, and makes plays on the football with consistency that shows up when you dig into the numbers. NFL teams looking for a safety who can actually play in space and handle coverage responsibilities will see a player with legitimate starting potential if the tackling issues get cleaned up. The missed tackles are a real concern and can't be dismissed, but they're also coachable problems involving angles and technique rather than a lack of effort or competitiveness. Thomas plays willing in run support even if the results haven't always been there.
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