Becton’s rise makes sense. He’s an absolute mammoth of a human being, can move great, and he has a mean streak. But what has Thomas done that has caused that fall? There’s no negative stories about him, no pictures of him smoking weed with a gas mask on, nothing. There was one story about him being better suited at guard because of his length but that story was bull. To me, Thomas’s slide is one of the biggest mysteries of this draft season.
I've read a scouting report that said his technique needs a lot of work. I don't remember the details, but it was on the order of something like he bends at the waist too much and lunges at players, and has problems with speed rushers to the outside or with inside moves, or something to that extent. I'm no OL guru, so don't know how accurate that report is/was. I do know that Kurt isn't that high on any of the OT prospects in the draft. He said that none of them are "can't miss" prospects, that they all are flawed in one way or another. I think he likes Becton the best, but has reservations even about him.
I'm pretty sure it was Thomas. If so, that could explain why he is "falling" in the eyes of the "experts." I'll see if I can find that report.
This first report isn't the one I saw before, but it lists some concerns. https://www.nfldraftgeek.com/andrew-thomas-nfl-draft-summer-preview/ Concerns About Andrew Thomas While Thomas does show he has the lateral agility to stick with pass rushers he can struggle at times with more speed rushers who are able to make quick moves to the outside while Thomas can struggle to get enough depth to consistently cut off the edge. Now he has the length to push defenders past the pocket and has even shown some violent shoves to knock defenders off balance when trying to bend the edge he could look to clean that up as he enters the draft. Thomas also could stand to improve his hand usage as those hands tend to get outside and where he struggles with hand strength to lock down the defender who can slip off his blocks. https://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2020athomas.php "With fast edge rushers or surprise blitzes off the edge, he can get into some trouble by bending at the waist and reaching after defenders. " https://www.nfl.com/prospects/andrew-thomas?id=32195448-4f02-5763-1c5b-1459b2c5ddf0 Weaknesses Lacks prototypical build and limb thickness Is a little heavy-legged in his second-level climbs Tight hips limit lateral movements and pad-level battles for leverage Top-heavy into initial contact and doesn't get hips unlocked More mauler than mover Needs to improve foot positioning to help steer and secure kick-outs Pass slides are choppy and lack desired smoothness Anchor against speed-to-power has more give than you want Gets caught leaning and over-extending in pass pro I wasn't able to find the report. It may have come up as a link from one of the draft games. Those are the only negative things I could find, so unless they are enough to make him drop, your guess is as good as mine.
<3 <3. I'm swooning <3 <3 -- "I just like how grimy you guys are," Mekhi Becton said about New York. "Just love the New York griminess." "I feel I'm the most dominant tackle in this draft," he said. "You wouldn't go wrong picking me. ... They don't expect a person like me to move that well, so I feel like I surprise a lot of people. ... I love being the biggest offensive lineman. I love intimidating guys." Becton said. "I can get you to score a touchdown, pretty much. Just run behind me, you're gonna score." https://www.sny.tv/jets/news/potent...ts-just-love-the-new-york-griminess/312885896
Maybe I'm wrong, but even the can't miss prospects have weaknesses. The question becomes can those weaknesses be fixed and if not, can the play be put in a position where those weaknesses aren't exposed. If Thomas is available at 11, I'd take him without much hesitation. AFAIK, he has never missed a game, has never had a bad thing said about him on or off the field, and has experience protecting a QB's blind side. That sounds a lot like an OT who anchored our OL from 2006 to 2015.
I think this is more of a knock on Thomas because he's built in a very squat manner and he's stout. He looks bigger and thicker than his weight indicates. He can move though. I didn't see him struggle with blitzing defensive backs like I thought he would. He absolutely engulfs them because he's got a really big wingspan for someone his height. He's a Mauler in the run game too.
We all despise Cimini (and for good reason), but imo the following article is fair and spot on, as well as totally depressing. https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-...-worst-offense-by-conquering-ugly-trend-at-wr Jets can improve league-worst offense by conquering ugly trend at WR Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer The New York Jets have a terrible track record when it comes to drafting and developing wide receivers. The last homegrown wideout to register a 1,000-yard season was Jerricho Cotchery, who was drafted in 2004. The last one to make a Pro Bowl in a Jets uniform was Keyshawn Johnson, selected No. 1 overall in 1996. The Jets need to end the ugly trend, and there has never been a better time than now. With Robby Anderson seemingly headed to NFL free agency, and with Quincy Enunwa facing an uncertain future because of a lingering neck injury, the Jets soon could be in the market for two starting receivers. While the free-agent market appears thin (unless Amari Cooper somehow shakes free from the Dallas Cowboys), the 2020 NFL draft is absolutely loaded with playmakers. Talent evaluators are calling this one of the best wide receiver drafts in history, with some projecting as many as 20 could be chosen in the first three rounds. "There's a lot of them," Jets coach Adam Gase said at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis this week. "There's a lot of guys with speed, there's a lot of guys with experience and there's a lot of guys that can do a lot of good things." Gase's 32nd-ranked offense will be hard-pressed to improve with the current cast of characters under contract. The Jets have a good slot receiver (Jamison Crowder) and a lot of question marks, including the recently signed Josh Doctson, a 2016 first-round pick who washed out with the Washington Redskins. "We need explosive, dynamic playmakers," Jets general manager Joe Douglas said. The Jets haven't ruled out the possibility of re-signing Anderson -- they expect to meet with his agent at the combine -- but it sounds as if they're reluctant to meet his asking price, which could be north of $13 million per year year. Asked if he views Anderson as a WR1, Douglas said, "I view Robby Anderson as a dynamic wide receiver that can take the top off any defense. I think he has a skill trait that a lot of teams are looking for. He can run by anybody." (Can't) Catch a Rising Star The Jets have struggled to find a star-quality wide receiver in the past 10 drafts: YEAR ROUND PLAYER REC YDS TD AVG. 2017 3 ArDarius Stewart 6 82 0 13.7 2017 4 Chad Hansen 9 94 0 10.4 2016 7 Charone Peake 22 214 0 9.7 2015 2 Devin Smith 15 248 2 16.5 2014 4 Jalen Saunders 1 7 0 7.0 2014 4 Shaq Evans 0 0 0 0.0 2014 6 Quincy Enunwa 119 1,617 5 13.6 2012 2 Stephen Hill 45 594 4 13.2 2012 7 Jordan White 1 13 0 13.0 2011 5 Jeremy Kerley 270 3,116 13 11.5 2011 7 Scotty McKnight 0 0 0 0.0 Note: Hansen (Texans), Smith (Cowboys), Peake (Jaguars) and Enunwa (Jets) are on NFL rosters. @Brook! Will you please fix this table or copy it from the article so it looks the same? Thanks For WR1 money, the Jets expect more than a speed receiver, which is why there's a hesitancy to break the bank for Anderson. If the Jets lose him, they will have a decision to make with the No. 11 overall pick: Select the third- or fourth-best offensive lineman (a huge need) or take the first- or second-best receiver. They could have their choice of Jerry Jeudy (Alabama), CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma) or Henry Ruggs III (Alabama), who could blow up the 40-yard dash Thursday night when the receivers participate in on-field drills. For a variety of reasons, Lamb might be the best fit for the Jets. Jeudy and Lamb are rated as the seventh and eighth prospects, respectively, on Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board. Speaking specifically about the Jets, the ESPN draft analyst said Lamb is "a little more versatile in that he can be a slot guy or be an outside wide-receiver threat." Jeudy is a terrific route runner, but he might have benefited from being surrounded by so much talent at Alabama, according to Kiper. "He'll have a lot to adjust to teams pressing him more, getting in his face more, being a little more aggressive at the line of scrimmage with him than they were at the collegiate level," he said. "Lamb was the guy everybody knew. You identified Lamb and they still couldn’t stop him." He racked up 1,327 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns last season. In theory, the Jets could wait until the second or third round to find an impact receiver. A year ago, Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, Mecole Hardman and DK Metcalf went in the second round. If this year's class is superior to that of the 2019 crop, it could be a Day 2 bonanza. It could be like shooting fish in a barrel, except the Jets have a history of missing the barrel. Remember the 2014 draft? It produced some of the best receivers in the game -- Odell Beckham, Jr., Mike Evans and Davante Adams, et al. The Jets used three of their 12 picks on receivers, whiffing on the first two (Jalen Saunders and Shaq Evans) and finding Enunwa in the sixth round. He's productive when he plays, but he has missed 40 games because of injuries. The three GMs before Douglas all suffered big misses. There was Stephen Hill (second round, 2012), Devin Smith (second round, 2015), ArDarius Stewart (third round, 2017) and Chad Hansen (fourth round, 2017). Those four have a combined total of 75 career receptions. Hill and Stewart are out of the league; Smith and Hansen are barely hanging on. Truth be told, the Jets' best homegrown receiver in recent years has been Anderson, whom they signed as an undrafted rookie in 2016. Because the game has evolved into wide-open passing, colleges are producing more wide receiver prospects than ever, but the scouting process can be tricky. College stats are inflated because of mediocre defenses and vanilla schemes. A player with 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash might have dominated against "off" coverage in college, but how will he respond to bump-and-run in the NFL? Sometimes the athleticism gets lost in translation. Some teams (see: Pittsburgh Steelers) have figured out the secret sauce and know how to draft receivers. Douglas still is looking for his first gem. In three years of coordinating the Philadelphia Eagles' draft (2017-19), he drafted three receivers, none of whom has emerged as a starter. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, a second-round pick in 2019, received mixed reviews after a 10-catch rookie season. Look for Douglas to use free agency and the draft, especially if he loses Anderson. He could sign a veteran free agent (perhaps Emmanuel Sanders or Breshad Perriman) and then tap into the riches of the draft, hoping to find a future WR1. While Douglas noted that "God didn't make many Julio Joneses and Calvin Johnsons," he should be able to find a quality player.
I think he'll be picked appropriately in the 5-12 range. He's the top tackle in the draft in my eyes, with Wills strongly at #2 and Becton/Wirfs at the pick or choose 3/4 spot. And then there's a huge dropoff. The Andrew Thomas fall seems like a load of mock draft site bullshit. I could see some teams pumping him down so he falls (including us). The dudes a big time NFL tackle and has had zero problems manning the left side in the toughest conference to block defensive lineman in. I wouldn't be shocked if the Giants take him or Jeudy.
You know we need a dynamic edge rusher to create field position and turnovers. Add a shutdown CB and we could have a top 5 defense. Maybe we can combine some vets with a young OT later in the draft.
If Douglas does what his predecessor did and kick the can down the road when it comes to addressing the OL, Sam will either pull a Luck and retire early or walk when his rookie contract expires. We need a young OT and C in the early rounds.
NO!!! The Jets have focused on D for too long and ignored the offense. 10 of the last 11 first round picks were spent on D and where did it get us? Nowhere. If Douglas takes Chaisson, I'll want his ass fired, and it should be. With the WRs and OTs in this draft, he would be fucking stupid to take Chaisson.
The only defensive player that has an outside chance of being there at 11 is Okudah and if he is, he is the pick. The Jets representative should run a 4.2 40 getting to the podium.
I would fucking hate it. And I was skeptical early on, but he looked really good against good receivers at the end of the year and vs. Clemson. Dude's the next Jalen Ramsey. It'd be too hard to pass up I think.
He’s a stud and he fills a huge need, but at the end of the day I don’t think he will be there for us.
