Chase Thomas UDFA [MERGED]

harschman said
Some tweeners without the prototypical measurables turn out okay. I saw the comparison to Rob Ninkovich. If Chase Thomas can do what Nink does, we got us a nice addition via UDFA. There have been plenty of guys with an abundance of talent with no heart that fizzle out in the NFL while there are just as many guys with questionable talent and more heart that thrive.

TruSaint said
dont look at measurables they mean nothing, i dont care how fast ur 40 time is, if u can rush the passer u can rush the passer.

El Caliente said
Obviously somebody is looking at them (and somebody in NFL front offices at that) because outside of his play what else would prevent him from being drafted.

To the guy that asked if I was interested in Jarvis Jones (yet he and Chase ran the same 40). Yes I did want Jones, and I am not even an SEC fan. But the difference in competition the two faced was night and day.

"You can rush the passer in college" does not always mean you can rush the passer in the NFL.

Again, it's not the measurables. It's the film. The thing that makes scouting a profession is the ability to watch a player during a game and see things that the average observer doesn't. Where the casual fan says "Oh look at CT getting to the QB", the scout says "He really isn't showing much explosiveness." So you start basically assessing if the method through which he made his plays (effort and motor) makes up for his lack of quick-twitch athleticism ENOUGH to translate his college production to the NFL.

Most scouts felt it didn't.

I love effort players. I think a player can get a long way on that. But a lot of scouts look at CT and determined that he would either be neutralized or constantly a step late in getting to the QB.

An alternate example would be Junior Galette. Galette probably runs a 40 time similar to CT, but he looks like a speed rusher out there because he's so explosive. His short-area burst sets him apart.

Chase Thomas measures fine. Unfotunately his lack of explosive athleticism showed up on film and that's what kept scouts and coaches from deeming him to be a draftable player.