With the NFL Draft looming, which team will take Fresno State’s unanimous All-American?
Phillip Thomas played in 13 games for the Fresno State football team during his freshman season in 2009.
It wasn’t until 2010 that the safety made a huge impact for Fresno State, setting up high expectations for the 2011 season.
But a broken leg just three days before the 2011 season began, sidelined Thomas for the entire season, leaving the Bulldogs depleted in the secondary.
Fresno State struggled defensively in 2011, finishing with just five interceptions and really lacking any type of big play abilities.
Thomas healed up and returned for his senior year in 2012, instantly making the Bulldogs’ defense a lot better.
Thomas turned in one of the best seasons of any defensive player to ever wear a Fresno State uniform.
The unanimous All-American finished with eight interceptions, including three for touchdown. And that was just the beginning of Thomas’ impressive stat line. He had 84 tackles, 12 for a loss, four sacks, five pass breakups and four forced fumbles.
It is Thomas’ athleticismand playmaking abilities that make him an attractive player to NFL teams. And with the 2013 NFL Draft beginning Thursday, Thomas plays the waiting game to see where he will eventually end up.
One would think that a unanimous All-American safety would all but be assured of being drafted in the first or second round. Thomas may have to wait until Friday or Saturday to find out where he is going. The first round of the draft will be Thursday, the second and third rounds will be Friday and the fourth-seventh rounds will be Saturday.
Draft experts have Thomas projected to be drafted anywhere between the second and fourth rounds.
Standing at 6-feet-1 and weighing 208 pounds, Thomas has a mixed scouting report. He ran a 4.65-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and lowered that time to 4.59 at his pro day at Fresno State.
His draft profile on NFL.com lists his strengths as athletic, physical defender, strong tackler and has quick feet.
Some of his weaknesses include a lack of ability to change direction in man coverage against quicker receivers, tends to bite on play action, and needs work in the run game.
The scouting reports don’t appear to be worrying Thomas.
“I’m a playmaker,” Thomasrecently told a CBS affiliate in Washington D.C. “I’m a game changing type of player. I’m always around the ball and I cause a lot of turnovers. What team wouldn’t want that?”
Possible destinations include the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and even the San Francisco 49ers.
But what about the New York Jets?
Thomas’ secondary coach this past season at Fresno State was Tim McDonald, a 13-year NFL veteran who was selected to the Pro Bowl six times.
McDonald is now a coach with the New York Jets. He has plenty of familiarity with Thomas and knows just what he is capable of.
There is no doubt Thomas will get his chance to play in the NFL.
The question is what team will snatch him up first.