Mel Kiper raves about Tech’s Bay-Bay, broken foot aside
Thomas turns a short pass into points. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Say this for Mel Kiper: When he likes a guy, he really likes a guy. (Think of Mel as the Sally Field of draftniks.) And Mel really likes Demaryius Thomas, the Georgia Tech product who had the seeming misfortune of breaking a bone in his foot last week while readying for the NFL draft.
You’d think a broken foot might give a draft-tracker cause for pause, but not our Mel. (Actually, he’s ESPN’s Mel. But I like to think he belongs to us all.) And here, in a mailbag just released on the Worldwide Leader’s Insiders site — all Mel links require registration — is a question from a reader regarding Thomas, who’s known fondly as Bay-Bay, and Mel’s cogent answer:
Q: I’m excited about the possibility of D. Thomas out of Ga. Tech, but he’s not from a passing offense! Isn’t this a guy who might not help the team at all early in his career because he’s still learning? Why don’t the Bengals get more of a sure thing? – Aaron K. (Cincinnati)
A: Look at it from the other perspective, Aaron. Look at a guy who thrived despite the fact that he was in a running offense and any time the ball was in the air, everybody on the field knew it was headed his way, and they still couldn’t stop it. Here’s what I see: Thomas is highly-skilled. He’s a feared vertical threat, with really impressive size. In the Tech offense, either he went deep and they just threw it up and he’d catch it (and he did many times), or they threw a quick-hitter close to the line of scrimmage and asked him to run. What he’ll need to develop is that intermediate game, picking up on the NFL-style routes. He also has foot questions like Michael Crabtree had that will limit him, but look at Crabtree. He didn’t fall that far. Thomas will have some “raw” to him, but you’re talking about a guy that could have been totally dominant, a top 10 pick if he’s coming out of a pro style offense like USC. If Cincy passes, Baltimore could land him, or perhaps the Jets. So passing on him could help some other teams add even greater value.
I post this because I’m starting to hear the knocks on Thomas from some of you — maybe it’s just me being suspicious, but I’m thinking a few such knocks are coming from Georgia fans — and I can’t imagine my response being any more pointed than Mel’s.
Over the past two seasons Tech completed 152 passes; Thomas caught 85 of them (55.9 percent). Over that span he accounted for 1,781 of the Jackets’ 3,064 yards receiving (58.1 percent). Opponents didn’t have to cover many receivers — Tech doesn’t have a tight end on its roster — and still they couldn’t cover Thomas. Imagine him in a system where three wideouts and a tight end were routinely deployed. (Like, say, Georgia’s.)
As for the impact of Bay-Bay’s boo-boo: Kiper hasn’t redone his mock draft, which last week had Thomas going to Cincinnati with the 21st pick in Round 1, but he has updated his Big Board. And he has Thomas rated as the 25th-best prospect, down only four spots from last week. That’s not much of a slip for a broken foot, is it? Which can only mean …
Mel is sold on Bay-Bay. And I’m with Mel on this one.
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67 comments Add your comment
Old Gold Britches
February 26th, 2010
7:38 am
As I have said in a previous blog this young man will be a winner for whoever picks him. I would love to see him as an Atlanta Falcon.
messin with sasquatch
February 26th, 2010
8:07 am
dam youre at it early. hopefully baybay doesn’t get sent to somewhere like calvin johnson, to a hockey town that really isn’t that into football. and poor stafford, had to be like when bo jackson got drafted by tambay. sanfran would be a nice destination.
Mick
February 26th, 2010
8:21 am
People will be writing the same thing about Hill in 2 years.
Bruce
February 26th, 2010
8:29 am
I am a Big Bulldawgs fan who thinks that Bay- Bay is an absolute stud and a high first round. As a UGA fan I am glad we do not have to see that hitch route from him again. He has the size and strength to be a Pro Bowl player for many years.
GT, in your dreams
February 26th, 2010
8:56 am
To the above poster who wondered how many UGA receivers have gone in the 1st round—I can only think of Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott. That was nearly 30 years ago and he was a bust.
Yealuh Jacket
February 26th, 2010
9:12 am
This kid is a no brainer…and he’s intelligent! All Tech athletes are!
BigKid
February 26th, 2010
10:19 am
So Mel Kiper like Thomas big deal. Kiper is the laughing stock of draft analyist. There is not one GM in the NFL who cares about Kiper’s opinion of a player becasue Kiper has never done an athletic thing in his life. If you want an accurate opinion of a player listen to Mike Mayock of the NFL network along with the other former coaches and playes and Current Hall of Famers.
Thomas will not be a good NFL player unless he learns how to play WR. For everyone who thinks thats what he did at Tech you are dead wrong. At Tech he ran deep and caught jump balls, in his time at Tech I think he ran two different routes, Deep and kinda deep. Unless he learns the entire route tree he is just gonna be another first round bust.
BigKid
February 26th, 2010
10:22 am
one more thing, the guy has suspect hands at best. Anyone remember 4th down in the 4th quarter. Thomas dropped a easy ball to get a 1st down and continue a drive to win the game and he choked. The best hope Tech has in the draft this year for a guy to make a name for him self is the DE y’all have.
Ramblin Wrecker
February 26th, 2010
10:34 am
I hope UGA fans don’t feel insulted by this, but I feel Demaryius Thomas is a lot like Hines Ward. He’s a team first player, excellent blocker and great ball skills. I don’t know where Pittsburgh is picking or what their needs are, but Thomas just seems like a Pittsburgh type of player. He’s a tough receiver for a tough town.
If Thomas is tracking as someone who warrants a pick in the 20-25 range, who knows, maybe the Falcons feel he can make an impact on their offense. He would be a better option than Jenkins, because he can get open deep and get YAC if you throw it short. Plus he could help right away in the run game, blocking for Turner.
Delbert D.
February 26th, 2010
11:34 am
Don’t expect Thomas to be the No.1 go-to guy early in his career. He’ be a monster coming across the middle on a slant with his size and speed. Also, Tech did run hitch and go’s a lot, and the CBs playing 10 yards deep bit on it and that was a fatal mistake.
BigTimeTECHFan
February 26th, 2010
11:35 am
I’ll miss Bey Bey at Tech, he was awesome.
He gets knocked for not knowing routes, but He can come down with the ball in traffic almost every time, so he not open he still catches the ball. On deep ball he was open a lot more then you thing, QB missed him a lot on deep throws. Thing is he’s fast and very strong, screen passes hard to tackle, shifty to. I would rank him as high as Calvin Johnson but advantage to CJ for making the great catches that very few WR can make.
A.J. Green
February 26th, 2010
12:16 pm
I wish I had his size and speed…and a proven QB to throw me the ball.
izell Stephens III
February 26th, 2010
12:57 pm
YES SOMEBODY HAS FINALLY COME TO SEE THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SLEEPING ON HIM. I KNOW HIM AND I HAVE SEEN IM GET BETTER AND BETTER BY THE YEAR SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. HE HAS RAW TALENT AND HE IS GREAT IN HIS ROUTE RUNNING.. ANYONE WHO GETS HIM WILL NOT ONLY GET A AWESOME FOOTBALL PLAYER BUT A VERY HUMBLE AND RESPECTABLE YOUNG MAN… I WISH HIM THE BEST OF LUCK !!!!! HE DESERVES IT
Realist
February 26th, 2010
1:22 pm
Thomas may or may not become an NFL route runner, but he was a dominant force at Tech. And more importantly, Tech is going to miss him. What Kiper says about Tech’s passing game is the same thing I’ve been saying on here for months — Tech’s whole game plan was throw it up and hope Thomas comes down with it. Wait til he is gone and Nesbitt has to actually quarterback a little. It won’t be so easy.
Nard34
February 26th, 2010
1:27 pm
I knew he had speed but 4.3 @ 6-3 240 man that is on the same level as Calvin………… Come on Falcons please don’t pass up on another great local talent just because he’s not on your agenda remember when Randy Moss fell in our laps and who was the guy we drafted that year? my point exactly………………
droopydawg
February 26th, 2010
2:38 pm
I’m a big UGA fan, but I think Thomas is an impressive receiver who should do well in the NFL.
Sunny Franks
April 26th, 2010
4:56 pm
Men!!!! Why can’t we just give Bay-Bay the respect he deserves? I am a big UGA fan…but I am a big Bay-Bay fan. Regardless of who he played for….he deserves his spot in the first round of the NFL draft. He is a great guy….and a great player! How many of you played high school sports, went on to college to be a proven player and then drafted in the first round of the NFL draft? I didn’t think so!