Charlie Thomas getting some draft love on ESPN+

[Texas_Wreck53]

It’s on ESPN + and he’s the last guy on the list but is the cover picture online.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I think he is a phenomenal player but do the pros ever draft a linebacker who is less than 210 lbs?

 

[gt02]

I think he is a phenomenal player but do the pros ever draft a linebacker who is less than 210 lbs?

if i recall correct that was pretty much Geoff Collins's rationale for not playing him more. We see how that turned out...

 

[Northeast Stinger]

if i recall correct that was pretty much Geoff Collins's rationale for not playing him more. We see how that turned out...

And THIS is why I get so tired of the “but how many of our players make the pros” metric for judging college players. If you are a great college player it doesn’t decrease your value to the team if you don’t make the pros.

 

[LongforDodd]

I don't think will/can put on much more weight. May put on 10 more lbs but doesn't he have a future at SS at his current weight?

 

[lv20gt]

And THIS is why I get so tired of the “but how many of our players make the pros” metric for judging college players. If you are a great college player it doesn’t decrease your value to the team if you don’t make the pros.

The reason it's a metric is because players want to make the pros and if we don't put players in the pros it's used against us in recruiting. And while there are some players that are great for the college game that doesn't translate to the next level, it's a handicap on a team to rely on finding those players and relying on them exclusively.

 

[JacketFan137]

if i recall correct that was pretty much Geoff Collins's rationale for not playing him more. We see how that turned out...

i have a hard time believing this is even true cause it seemed like he was basically playing all the time

 

[bobongo]

I don't think will/can put on much more weight. May put on 10 more lbs but doesn't he have a future at SS at his current weight?

I think the guy's a born linebacker.

 

[LongforDodd]

I think the guy's a born linebacker.

He might be but without more weight the odds seem to be against him. The Falcons Deion Jones (?) seemed to get washed out of alot of plays at 220 (?) and now the Falcons found little use for him.

 

[jgtengineer]

He might be but without more weight the odds seem to be against him. The Falcons Deion Jones (?) seemed to get washed out of alot of plays at 220 (?) and now the Falcons found little use for him.

He's been injured for the falcosn he very much was a part of the falcons success during 2016. The issue with jones is he's got slow.

 

[lv20gt]

i have a hard time believing this is even true cause it seemed like he was basically playing all the time

I think it he was more being used as a DB than a LB since that was his projected position in the NFL.

He had 65 tackles back in 2019 and 70 tackles last year so it's not like this is the first year he's been playing significant snaps.

 

[gt02]

I think it he was more being used as a DB than a LB since that was his projected position in the NFL.

He had 65 tackles back in 2019 and 70 tackles last year so it's not like this is the first year he's been playing significant snaps.

The DB thing sounds right. Perhaps it was some type of hybrid position. He absolutely was not getting reps at LB Collins's first year.

 

[LongforDodd]

He's been injured for the falcosn he very much was a part of the falcons success during 2016. The issue with jones is he's got slow.

Six years is an eternity to me these days but I do remember him having some success in his first two years. Jones seemed on the smallish side for LB's in the NFL (I can't believe this!). It just doesn't seem that they last long. It's a game of huge human beings in the front 7.

 

[jgtengineer]

Six years is an eternity to me these days but I do remember him having some success in his first two years. Jones seemed on the smallish side for LB's in the NFL (I can't believe this!). It just doesn't seem that they last long. It's a game of huge human beings in the front 7.

Average linebacker only has a 4 year career in the NFL. What made people like Ray Lewis and Mathews play as long as they did was they filled other roles. Deion jones was necessary for the 4-3 scheme he was drafted into. That scheme needed a mike that could cover as he basically played between traditional backer and safety depth and relied on line shifts and blitzes for run fits. Jones never really was a 3-4 middle backer. Probably should have shifted to outside but he's been fighting injuries.

 

[yellajacket20]

It wouldn't surprise me to see Thomas put on some weight when he got to the pros. At the same time, with all the spread offenses, having someone that takes on linemen in the running game is less important.

 

[alagold]

I loved the guy ever since I saw his hi school tape.He KNEW how to tackle WAY BACK as opposed to a bunch of our DEF guys over the last yrs..

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I think it he was more being used as a DB than a LB since that was his projected position in the NFL.

He had 65 tackles back in 2019 and 70 tackles last year so it's not like this is the first year he's been playing significant snaps.

The DB thing sounds right. Perhaps it was some type of hybrid position. He absolutely was not getting reps at LB Collins's first year.

He made two starts as the Nickelback in 2020. Mostly he's played LB for us.

 

[takethepoints]

The reason it's a metric is because players want to make the pros and if we don't put players in the pros it's used against us in recruiting. And while there are some players that are great for the college game that doesn't translate to the next level, it's a handicap on a team to rely on finding those players and relying on them exclusively.

Except when you play them and, like, win. The pros are after players and they don't have a set formula for them. Who, for instance, would have cast Aaron Donald at 6'1", 280 as a perennial all-pro DT? Well, that would be the people who saw him play in college, of course, and the Rams.

It really ticked me off that Collins was touting Mason to the pros as a special teams player rather then an RB. (He did that, you know; "Well JP was ok at RB, but he's a great special teams guy!" The 49ers drafted him as a "backup" and soon saw that they had a prototypical pro RB who simply ran over people regularly on their hands. And they rejoiced.

I think Thomas will play in the pros and probably at LB, though he's fast enough for SS as well. He can gain a little weight without losing speed.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Except when you play them and, like, win. The pros are after players and they don't have a set formula for them. Who, for instance, would have cast Aaron Donald at 6'1", 280 as a perennial all-pro DT? Well, that would be the people who saw him play in college, of course, and the Rams.

It really ticked me off that Collins was touting Mason to the pros as a special teams player rather then an RB. (He did that, you know; "Well JP was ok at RB, but he's a great special teams guy!" The 49ers drafted him as a "backup" and soon saw that they had a prototypical pro RB who simply ran over people regularly on their hands. And they rejoiced.

I think Thomas will play in the pros and probably at LB, though he's fast enough for SS as well. He can gain a little weight without losing speed.

One name: Shaquille Mason

No one predicted he would have nearly as much success as he did in the NFL because he was deemed "short" for an NFL OL...

 

[lv20gt]

It really ticked me off that Collins was touting Mason to the pros as a special teams player rather then an RB. (He did that, you know; "Well JP was ok at RB, but he's a great special teams guy!" The 49ers drafted him as a "backup" and soon saw that they had a prototypical pro RB who simply ran over people regularly on their hands. And they rejoiced.

Hasn't he had 1 carry in 7 games and they just traded a good bit to get another RB?