Mike Mayock: Georgia Tech WR Thomas headed to Falcons
D. Orlando Ledbetter posing after doing a segment on the NFL Network. (Photo by Brian Cearns)
BIRDLAND – Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is one of the hard luck stories of the 2010 draft.
He can’t workout for teams because he suffered a broken foot while running in the three-cone drill in February. He had a screw surgically implanted in the foot to help it heal.
Last season, Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree suffered a stress fracture and was not able to workout at the NFL scouting combine. He went to the San Francisco 49ers with the 10th pick of the draft.
Thomas needed a good showing at the combine to solidify his first round status. Now, he might not get a chance to show off his speed and pass catching ability before the NFL draft, which will be held April 22 to 24.
The NFL Network's Mike Mayock.
The question on Thomas is whether if he can run an NFL route tree. At Tech, he ran a bunch of streaks. There’s not a lot of game tape of him coming out of breaks, running crossing routes, or other NFL style pass routes.
There is a wildcard at play with Thomas.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson and Falcons coach Mike Smith are best buds back from their college coaching days when they were recruiting metro Atlanta. If there is any question about Thomas’ route running ability, Smith already has the answer.
Perhaps, there is some Georgia Tech film that finds its way to Flowery Branch and points beyond that shows Thomas running every route imaginable.
The NFL Network is running its Path to the Draft show and the Falcons were up on Friday. We talked
Bucky Brooks back in his Green Bay days.
about Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham and Florida center Maurkice Pouncey.
Then Mike Mayock and Bucky Brooks came on.
Mayock thinks the Falcons should take Thomas. Brooks said they should take South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre Paul.
We know where most of the fan base is with regards to Weatherspoon, Graham and Pouncey.
But what about Thomas? Could Thomas really be traveling just up the highway to Flowery Branch? What about Pierre-Paul?
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235 comments Add your comment
chris taylor
March 29th, 2010
10:30 pm
Trade our 2011 first rd pick for the rams 2nd rd this yr and 3rd next yr. 1st pick in second rd. is damn close to a first considering we’ll be picking way later next yr depending how deep we go in playoffs, possibly superbowl in which it would only be a 1-2 spot drop. Imagine the possibilitys with our picks + the first in the second round. Over 75 players recieved 1st-2nd rd grades.
chris taylor
March 29th, 2010
10:41 pm
Maybe TD can pull off some magic with New England and talk them into trading us a 2nd rd pick or two. We had to know TG was gonna retire in 2-3yrs. Yet we gave a 2nd, that tells me we want to win now.
Old Man
March 29th, 2010
10:50 pm
We could get Tennant C and Hughes OLB with NE’s 44 and 47.
But holy kamoli, has anyone seen the Pierre-Paul back flip YouTube? It’s freakin’ unbelievable!
go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-1e6Faglw.
Old Man
March 29th, 2010
10:55 pm
Somebody was comparing Pierre-Paul to JA98. Look at the YouTube. There is no freakin’ way JA98 ever, ever could do what P-P does in this video. I’m not saying we pick him at #19,but you better be darn sure there’s a reason not to. TD will do his due diligence, I’m sure.
markl
March 29th, 2010
10:56 pm
Sign Ogunleye, gives you Abraham, Oguleye, Bierman and Sidbury. Then choose LB or take Thomas at 1
falcons008
March 29th, 2010
10:57 pm
I like spoon, but think we could wait till 3rd and pick-up E.Norwood, B.Lang, or D.Watson. If you really think about it, there is not much of a drop off in talent. 1st round you need to address offense after 2 yr. of drafting defense. I will admit I’m curious about Taylor Mays and if he could make the transition to OLB. Freaks like that don’t come around that often. Question is why did he play safety?? couldn’t shed blocks maybe??
falcons008
March 29th, 2010
11:01 pm
@ Old Man like the idea of trading back for 2 2nd round picks. It just becomes a question about having roster spots for all those draft picks considering we haven’t cut many players or lost them in free agency.
Nadaniel
March 29th, 2010
11:10 pm
They were choosing players based on the fact that spoon and graham where gone.
chuck
March 29th, 2010
11:11 pm
Mike Mayock is a hack. There’s not a snowballs chance in an Atlanta’s July that TD drafts a WR in the first round. WR won’t be addressed until the 4th round at the earliest.
The only reason that a C is possible is because TD and CMS like to be strong up the middle. The decision is going to come down to a DE or LB. The Falcon’s will take the guy they believe will put the most pressure on the QB.
savannadawg
March 29th, 2010
11:45 pm
Offense or Defense??? I think we must take the best player available whom ever that may be at 19. But, if you really think about the slot reciever pos., does HD make it back from his serious injury. We don’t have great depth at this moment. That is why I would like to have Golden Tate from Notre Dame. I do like Thomas alot, but I just think we need Tate more. He really is good too. Either way both positions (outside and inside) are going to have to be addressed either this year or next, as well as the defense too.
chris taylor
March 29th, 2010
11:46 pm
Why not pick up Alex Brown after bears cut him and rotate him with our other DE’s and pick up that LB Spoon/Mays and improve our pass rush on multiple fronts. That leaves 7 picks to build depth on OL & possibly another CB, TE, KR specialist.
chris taylor
March 29th, 2010
11:56 pm
Tate’s yac ability is amazing. He would probably be good in the slot. I personally dont know enough bout this yrs WR’s to make an informed decision. I think our pass rush problems can be traced to BVG’s calls as much as our players. Opposing OL’s see the LB coming up the middle just as good on the 30th as they do the first, disguise it some for crying out loud.
GaMom77
March 29th, 2010
11:59 pm
Come on Arthur – whip out that blackberry and make the call….Bey Bey is the man! We’ve had a lot of receivers that could run, it’s just that they didn’t have the ball in their hands when they took off!!! DT will fix that……
T.Thomas
March 30th, 2010
12:10 am
I would like for Atl, Jax, or carolina to get Bay Bay. The family wouldn’t have to go a long way to go see him play unlike when T.T. got drafted by Houston Texans. I’m in savannah so either team would be good for me.
savannadawg
March 30th, 2010
12:13 am
chris taylor, yu are correct about BVG. that guy don’t disguise anything. The great NFL QB’s know that too. They pick us apart. Coached the same way at UGA. Had grate defenses initially then everybody started catching on and he was gone.
Albany Dirty Bird
March 30th, 2010
12:20 am
I’m still in favor of taking Spoon but if he’s gone I’m intrigued
d by the thought of trading down and drafting Thomas. His speed separates him from the big receivers who haven’t panned out. I’m not enamored with the thought of drafting the 2nd or 3rd best DE in the 1st rd. Last time we did that we ended up with a bootleg Luda that can’t get to the QB. A 3rd Rd DE to add to the Sidbury Bierman mix is fine with me.
Omar
March 30th, 2010
1:05 am
How bout Spiller in the first? With the talk about working Turner less and help in the passing game, I think Spiller could fit both. And shorten the field on special teams.
screg
March 30th, 2010
1:39 am
i dont understand why everyone is talkin about spiller. that makes no sense at all. we have 3 very good backs on our team. and jason pierre paul looks like a bust waiting to happen. dimitroff already said they like the current DEs on the roster and probably will not draft DE in the first. no matter how athletic he is, it doesnt matter. DEs dont need to be able to do 20 backflips during a game. we need old school tough ball players, not the guys that are projected to the first round simply because of how amazing they looked at the combine. just look at the career tape.
cwltank
March 30th, 2010
5:24 am
I would be happy if we drafted a wr if we traded Jenkins I feel we need a upgade
If CJ falls take him we can trade the other rb we have lol
Reason: 1st roünders dont sit on the sidelines they play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PlanB
March 30th, 2010
8:04 am
The main thing is need. We need a pass rush more than anything. I think Beirmann and Sidberry will be improved and Jerry being back will help. I think our biggest problem last year was our scheme. When we blitzed we had a good pass rush. Offense and defense schemes weren’t good. No screens or schuffle passes to slow the rush down. Anyway back to the problem. Our need isn’t reciever. It’s pass rush. OLB or DE. Preferable an OLB.
SIDDEAN
March 30th, 2010
8:09 am
I Like picking Thomas and trading Jenkins for a second round pick.
kurula
March 30th, 2010
8:10 am
ken strickland—exactly what i’ve been trying to say. everybody is in love with this guy, but he is going to be a project. i don’t think he’ll be terrible, i just don’t think he’s needed with our only pick in the first 2 rounds. now if there was a percy harvin or desean jackson available, you’d take him. but thomas doesn’t have that ability. (if the falcons were to take a WR in this draft, i’d rather them get golden tate.)
Whopper Dawg
March 30th, 2010
9:04 am
After listening to your comments, all of your columns now make sense.
BigTimeTECHFan
March 30th, 2010
10:11 am
Would be great if Falcons got Thomas but I think Decker from Minnisota would be better value in 3rd round.
come on
March 30th, 2010
10:49 am
Thomas is just a potenial pick, and everyone is just guessing at this point. I think thomas would be a good pick, if the def needs are gone. UGA fans are just mad because he is a tech player(yes dawg fans there is pro talent outside the SEC, see matty ice). that being said i would like to see us trade down in the first round and draft bey bey lower in the round and maybe get a late second round pick out of the deal.
Trill
March 30th, 2010
11:27 am
CJ Spiller!!!
chris taylor
March 30th, 2010
12:15 pm
With a playmaker at LB just look at the possibilitys on defence. A star at every spot. Robinson-CB, Spoon/Mays-LB, DeCoud-S, Abraham/Biermann-De, Babineaux/Jerry-Dt. That is an ohh crap waiting to happen for any team all over the field.
Shane
March 30th, 2010
2:22 pm
This is the kind of pik the Falcons would have made in the past. Thank goodness Dmitrof is running things now.
A blocking WR from a school that runs the wishbone. Thanks but no thanks. Thats the big problem with Techs system. When guys get to the pros they have to be totally broken down and rebuilt all over again. Basically they have to forget everything they learned in college and learn the pro way of doing it. Thats a huge problem.
ryan
March 30th, 2010
3:45 pm
I think if the Falcons do not get Spoon or Morgan I like Jason P. Paul i mean this guy is a freak . I think he is the next Peppers he has speed and quickness . And he has swagger i saw this guy do back flip .
chris
March 30th, 2010
7:47 pm
we should take DE Morgan from GT if he is still there
Deplane
March 30th, 2010
10:15 pm
Jason P. Paul doesn’t look anything like B.Graham on tape. Compared to a Morgan or a Graham the guy looks like he has happy feet.
I don’t see us taking Thomas…he ran outs and that was about it. He’s a project and we already have enough of those. We need somebody that can contribute and make us better from day one.
Atlanta Falcons Talk » Blog Archive » 2010 NFL Draft: Which Dawgs and Yellow Jackets Could Help the Falcons?
March 31st, 2010
1:01 am
[...] Thomas is the only state product I can see us drafting in the first round, and Mike Mayock agrees. [...]
san diego dawg
March 31st, 2010
1:24 am
The Falcons are loaded at receiver. Harry Douglas is back. Norwood should move to the open slot receiver since Booker was not resigned. Finneran was resigned. Why waste a number 1 pick on a player that can not start? No way the Falcons take him. They will draft defensive players and then O-line
I c great things ahead
March 31st, 2010
5:13 am
It’s sad to see the hate towards D.Thomas. You have too see that Matt needs more weapons, look at what the Ravins Are doing to put talent around Joe Flaco. And everyone here wants to stand pat with these guys we have. Sure we could use another DL, or OLB even some OL help but less face it B. Finneran is heading over the hill. Harry Douglas will be back but to what level of play. We’ve moved on from M.Booker and I agree with you sand D dawg Ive though for sometime that J. Norwood should be moved to wide out where he might stay healthy their. But like everyone else I don’t know what TD gonna do, I’m just projecting my hopes and what I beleave for the team. So now letme be clear I think no I mean I hope he draft one of the top wide outs my choice is De-Maryius Thomas.
phoenix falcon
March 31st, 2010
11:58 am
the falcons need DEFENSE, DEFENSE, AND MORE DEFENSE……………………. NO CENTERS AND NO WR’S……………….