Matt Elam (Rd 1) vs. Shamarko Thomas (Rd 4)

[BigRob]

Ravens took Matt Elam at pick 32:

Matt Elam

5'10 208 lbs 4.54 Forty 17 reps of 225 lbs

Played in the SEC

Steelers took Shark Thomas in the 4th Rd. Essentially a 3rd pick with the trade:

Shamarko Thomas

5'9" 213 lbs 4.42 Forty 28 reps of 225 lbs

Played in the Big East

They are very similar players. What's the real difference between them? I could make the argument that Shark Thomas is just as good. I don't know much about him, but there is not a lot of difference between these two players.

What separates them from 1st round to 4th round? I appears to be one inch of height and the conference they competed at.

What say you? I like our pick at safety just as much as Matt Elam in the first round.

[Bluto]

Well Carnell said he has a 40 inch vertical jump. Pretty sure that inch is not a big deal. Love the pick.

[BigRob]

Well Carnell said he has a 40 inch vertical jump. Pretty sure that inch is not a big deal. Love the pick.

I agree 100%. I think Shark is going to be a great player. Just trying to figure what separated them as prospects. What does Elam do better than Thomas to make him a first round pick?

[SteelSpain]

Right now I think Shamarko in the 4rd has way more value than Elam in the 1st. Just my opinion.

How it develope in the coming years nobody knows. But now I don´t change them. :ratsuck

[thor75]

Probably my favorite pick of the draft. I think he'll see time on the defense this year. Height is the only knock, but he's got a 40 inch vertical IIRC. AJ Green took a TD grab over Polamalu and Clark in the end zone. Everyone may lose a battle here and there. He can always hit him out of bounds before two feet land. I'm not concerned about it. Time to turn the def. backfield into the shark tank.

[flippy]

I personal think Thomas is the better player. He's the better athlete and if he was a couple inches taller he woulda been the top S in the draft. Elam made a couple highlight reel hits in the SEC and got overrated as a result imho.

Shmarko also showed the capability to play corner and lined up outside at times following the other teams best WR. So he'll be fantastic in the slot. He's probably the best cover guy of any of the safeties. He's lightning fast on the field.

I think Thomas is more versatile and might be able to be used in a lot of different ways to get him on the field asap.

In a couple years, he's gonna have a Troy like impact on this defense.

[hawaiiansteel]

Right now I think Shamarko in the 4rd has way more value than Elam in the 1st.

I agree completely.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Probably my favorite pick of the draft. I think he'll see time on the defense this year. Height is the only knock, but he's got a 40 inch vertical IIRC. AJ Green took a TD grab over Polamalu and Clark in the end zone. Everyone may lose a battle here and there. He can always hit him out of bounds before two feet land. I'm not concerned about it. Time to turn the def. backfield into the shark tank.
Agreed... Story is "if he's 5'11", he's a first rounder"... same thing happened to Bob Sanders a few years back; of course concussions and injuries messed up an potential HOF career for him (and he was a late 2nd rounder, not a 4th rounder)... As it stands right now, this should really most of our favorite picks... Great, GREAT value...

[BigRob]

http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/index.ssf/2013/04/gritty_pittsburgh_steelers_gri.html

http://imgick.syracuse.com/home/syr-media/width620/img/orangefootball_impact/photo/12645260-mmmain.jpg
This type of play is what the Pittsburgh Steelers like to see out of their safeties. It's what they should get out of Shamarko Thomas. (Frank Ordoñez / The Post-Standard)

Print (http://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootball_impact/print.html?entry=/2013/04/gritty_pittsburgh_steelers_gri.html)
http://imgick.syracuse.com/home/syr-media/width40/img/avatars/10635962.png (http://connect.syracuse.com/user/chriscarlson/index.html)By Chris Carlson | (http://connect.syracuse.com/user/chriscarlson/posts.html)ccarlson@syracuse.com
on April 27, 2013 at 7:16 PM




















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http://ads.syracuse.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_lx.ads/www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2013/04/gritty_pittsburgh_steelers_gri.html/L16/328195927/StoryAd/SYRACUSEONLINE/Spacer_SY_RoS_13/Spacer_SpanMJX.html/6e7048674956462b774e59414150324b?_RM_EMPTY_&tag0=2013%20NFL%20Draft&tag1=Shamarko%20Thomas&tag2=Syracuse%20football&tag3=Syracuse%20Orange%20football


The Steelers are known for the physical play of their safeties. Shamarko Thomas was the physical presence in the Syracuse secondary.

Thomas loves to refer to his renown work ethic as "grinding." Few communities embrace that mindset more than Pittsburgh, home to steel mills and frigid football weather.

The match of mentalities was made with the 111th pick of the NFL Draft on Saturday, when Pittsburgh selected Thomas with the 14th selection of the fourth round. "That is the kind of safety I like," Pittsburgh secondary coach Carnell Lake said. "That is the kind of safety that the Steelers are looking for. Not only will he cover well, but he will hit you and hit you hard." That's been Thomas' approach from the start at Syracuse, where he led the team with 84 tackles and three forced fumbles last year, while also contributing a pair of interceptions.

A weight-room warrior, Thomas' work ethic showed and his stock soared after the NFL Combine when he ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any safety and bench-pressed 225 pounds 28 times, the third-best effort ever for a defensive back. He also owns a vertical leap of more than 40 inches.

Now he'll join the Steelers, one of the organizations that has given its secondary the freedom to roam and make plays, turning safeties into household names. Troy Polamalu, with the help of his flowing hair, does advertisements for shampoo, while Ryan Clark is a well-known commodity at a position that is often overlooked. "I'm definitely glad they picked me up," Thomas said. "I had a great visit. I loved the defensive coaches. I am blessed."

Both Polamalu and Clark frequently deliver heavy blows and play around the line of scrimmage, a strength of Thomas, who even played some linebacker during his time at Syracuse. Lake also praised Thomas for his versatility, a sign that Pittsburgh could use him as the primary backup for both or get him on the field in nickel and dime situations. Clark, 33, and Polamalu, 32, are still very effective but probably past their physical peaks. Lake said Thomas will probably start out helping on special teams and learning strong safety, where Polamalu plays, but the array of positions he played at Syracuse will help him get on the field faster. "I will play anywhere they want me," Thomas said. "I just want to be on the field. I want to help out the Steelers."

That was one of Thomas' selling points during his pre-draft interviews. (http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/index.ssf/2013/04/nfl_draft_former_syracuse_safe.html) Since his primary drawback is his height, the 5-foot-9 and 213-pound Thomas made it clear to teams he'd be comfortable playing anywhere on the field, from strong safety to nickel corner. That willingness might have been what ultimately sold the Steelers. When asked what performance of Thomas' impressed him most, Lake recalled Thomas' effort last year against Southern California when he went away from his traditional safety spot and spent most of the game locked in man-to-man coverage on Robert Woods, a second-round draft pick. Thomas defended Woods both in the slot and out wide. Thomas' strength made it difficult for Woods to get started on his routes, and the Syracuse safety even made an interception. "Why would you have your strong safety covering one of the better receivers in the draft man-to-man throughout the whole game?" Lake said. "For me that was almost a game-changer. Sealed the deal in my opinion."

Thomas was selected back-to-back with Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib, the first time Syracuse players have ever been chosen consecutively. The closest gap between Syracuse players prior to this year was three picks. Projected as a possible second-round choice and a likely third-round pick, Thomas dipped just slightly into the fourth. He was considered a top five safety but was the 11th selected. The wait, though, may have been worth it. Thomas and Pittsburgh feel like a perfect match. "I don't know why other teams are afraid of him," Lake said. "I am only speculating, but I think they are afraid of two inches because he has everything else. I think if he had two more inches he would have been in the first round. That's how highly I think of this young man."

[SidSmythe]

IF Thomas can cover WR's man to man, just think how effective he'll be covering TE's in today's NFL. Sure he'll give up some height but he'll force QB's the place the ball perfectly at a point Thomas can't defend.

[birtikidis]

I think Elam went about 10 picks high, but the dude is a player. I can't comment on Thomas, as I only saw him play a handful of times, but Elam was my dream pick in the 2nd.

[BigRob]

I think Elam went about 10 picks high, but the dude is a player. I can't comment on Thomas, as I only saw him play a handful of times, but Elam was my dream pick in the 2nd.

I'm not saying that Elam is a bad player. I watched him in the SEC and he played well. He is a lot like Bernard Pollard. I just don't see a huge difference between him and Shark Thomas.

Elam was exposed against Louisville in the bowl game. I do, however, think that may have been because he was disinterested. Thomas doesn't seem like the type of dude that gets complacent.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I personal think Thomas is the better player. He's the better athlete and if he was a couple inches taller he woulda been the top S in the draft. Elam made a couple highlight reel hits in the SEC and got overrated as a result imho.

Shmarko also showed the capability to play corner and lined up outside at times following the other teams best WR. So he'll be fantastic in the slot. He's probably the best cover guy of any of the safeties. He's lightning fast on the field.

I think Thomas is more versatile and might be able to be used in a lot of different ways to get him on the field asap.

In a couple years, he's gonna have a Troy like impact on this defense.

no offense flip, but elam had a lot more than a couple of highlight reel hits. He is a very solid player.

time will tell, but I think shamarko will struggle against some of the matchups he will see in the NFL.

[Slapstick]

Shamarko is as similar a player to Troy Polamalu as we've seen on the Steelers roster since 2003...

Not saying he'll be an all-time great like Troy, but he has a lot of the same physical tools...if he has anything close to Troy's closing speed...damn...

[BigRob]

no offense flip, but elam had a lot more than a couple of highlight reel hits. He is a very solid player.

time will tell, but I think shamarko will struggle against some of the matchups he will see in the NFL.

Look, I like the SEC as much as anyone. I'm from the south. They know football. But Elam is mostly an in the box safety. Did you watch Florida's bowl game? Teddy Bridgewater and that Big East team took it to them. He was repeatedly abused in that game.

Elam's going to struggle as much as Thomas in that respect. Thomas has a better vert and is only one inch shorter.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I don't let one game cloud my judgement and anyway the loss to louisville was a total team effort. Pinning it on elam is foolish. The guy had a very solid career at UF. No need to beat the kid up because we drafted somebody else.

like I said, time will tell. I hope we got a bargain as some seem to believe.

[BigRob]

I don't let one game cloud my judgement and anyway the loss to louisville was a total team effort. Pinning it on elam is foolish. The guy had a very solid career at UF. No need to beat the kid up because we drafted somebody else.

like I said, time will tell. I hope we got a bargain as some seem to believe.

I didn't mean to make it sound like I didn't like Elam. But he's not 3 rounds better than Shark Thomas.

[flippy]

no offense flip, but elam had a lot more than a couple of highlight reel hits. He is a very solid player.

time will tell, but I think shamarko will struggle against some of the matchups he will see in the NFL.

I'm not saying Elam's a bad prospect. I think he'll be fine. Just think Shmarko has a lot more potential with the ability to play S, CB, and LB. He's versatile and the better overall athlete. His almost like a mini version of Carnell Lake in his overall athleticism.

For example, I think Shamrko could replace Foote on 3rd downs next to Timmy. Or can possibly beat out Gay or Brown to be our 3rd corner. And I don't think Elam could do the same.

I was trying to compliment Elam saying he was a big hitter which he is. And it got more attention cause he's an SEC guy. The SEC is the best conference. But it's sometimes tough to tell who the best players are on the team when many are so good. Sometimes I think other guys on a team cover some of the other players from time to time.

Shamrko wasn't surrounded by talent.

[flippy]

Look, I like the SEC as much as anyone. I'm from the south. They know football. But Elam is mostly an in the box safety.

I get to see a lot of SEC and ACC teams in NC and agree with this sentiment.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

how the heck is shamarko going to play LB? Cmon flip, he's 5'8 and change and a couple hundred pounds. Lets hope he can be a goood to very good safety before we start putting him all over the field.

we might need to fit him for a cape if he can play all of the positions you listed.

[flippy]

how the heck is shamarko going to play LB? Cmon flip, he's 5'8 and change and a couple hundred pounds. Lets hope he can be a goood to very good safety before we start putting him all over the field.

we might need to fit him for a cape if he can play all of the positions you listed.

Just in a 3rd down nickle type situation to cover RBs and TEs in the middle of the field. And he could possibly sneak in a blitz or 2. I'm not talking about him being an every down LB. Just situationally.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I would temper your expectations.

this is a 4th round pick we are talking about.

I think he may have trouble covering those TEs in the middle of the field. They might throw it over the top of him.

[steel50]

I think Thomas is a player and steelers need him to be after Troy and Clark it is scary

[flippy]

I would temper your expectations.

this is a 4th round pick we are talking about.

I think he may have trouble covering those TEs in the middle of the field. They might throw it over the top of him.

He's my favorite pick in this draft.

We'll see if I'm right or wrong. Who knows for sure. Carnell said if he were 2 inches taller, he'd have gone in the first round. He also didn't seem concerned with his height given his 40 inch vertical. Even with many TEs being 6-8" taller, he's probably out jumping them by 8-10 inches.

You know me, I tend to get overhyped over most everything. But this is the 1 kid I wanted out of the entire draft. I think he's the real deal and might enable our whole D to work in the post Troy era.

[Rara]

Starting to impress me. We basically got a safety that is first round grade then..? Or should have?

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers Draft Evaluation: S Shamarko Thomas

By Neal Coolong on Apr 29 2013

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/12393371/20121005_pjc_bk4_495.0_standard_500.0.jpg

Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas is a passionate player who may have to refine his tackling technique and press coverage to avoid penalties in the NFL. But as Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says, it's better to say "woah" than "hurry up."

It's like a navy and orange blur has magnetic attraction to the ball when watching Syracuse's Shamarko Thomas play football.

The Steelers' fourth round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft - the one they acquired through a trade with the Cleveland Browns for a third round pick next year - has the recklessness of a strong safety with the discipline of a free safety. Wherever he lines up - and there are plenty examples showing him around the line of scrimmage as well as in deep coverage - he finds his way to the ball.

In Syracyse's 14-13 win over Pitt this past season, Thomas was brought in to cover slot receivers and tight ends alike, and showed at times a strong ability to get a ball carrier to the ground. He plays low to the ground when coming up on a runner and in the open field. Pursuing them at an angle, he tends to stay a bit high, and Panthers tight end Mike Shanahan taught him why that's not a good idea.

Shanahan, a 6-foot-5, 225 pound mammoth, got a little bit lower than Thomas expected, causing Thomas to bounce head first off his shoulder. It appeared Thomas was knocked unconscious for a brief moment. It happened later in the game, and Thomas wouldn't return.

It's all in the name of football, though. He would lay similar hits on the Orange's next opponent, Rutgers, showing a level of toughness that is reminiscent of the Steelers' legacy.

Earlier in 2012, in Syracuse's second game of the year at USC, Thomas had one of this best highlights. In a fourth and short situation, Thomas flashed from a deep safety spot into the A gap right along with a defensive lineman to stop the Trojans' running back for a loss. He attacked the gap like a fullback, showing outstanding recognition skills and fearlessness.

He gets a tad high again against a Trojans tight end on an incomplete pass, but this time, gets him under his arm, knocking him to the ground. It'd be a borderline flag in the NFL, and while obviously he has to watch that kind of play at the next level, as Mike Tomlin says, he's rather say "Woah" than "Hurry up."

Thomas is a "Woah" kind of player. He plays passionately, but he's in control of himself too. He was matched up with USC receiver (and second round pick of the Buffalo Bills) Robert Woods outside the numbers, and Thomas did an excellent job of riding Woods toward the sideline while still locating the ball. It went to the front pylon, where Woods, who had been driven out of bounds, was nowhere close to making the play.

The knock on him will come in his ability to cover, but he does an adequate job in short zone due to his strength and wingspan. He isn't afraid to jam receivers at the line and ride them off their route. He should probably expect a more watchful officiating eye in the NFL as far as contact with receivers goes, but what he may give up in height he can make up in route disruption.

It's likely he'll get work at both safety positions, with his strength being at or around the line of scrimmage. He can attack downhill, much like starting free safety Ryan Clark does against the run, but in a Cover 2 look - which Syracuse played often enough, he will struggle against over the top throws outside the numbers.

He may not make a play on the ball, but rest assured, he's going to make the receiver earn the big catch.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/4/29/4281374/steelers-draft-evaluation-safety-shamarko-thomas/in/4031321

[feltdizz]

I was listening to sports radio in Charlotte and out of nowhere a guru says Shamrko was the best pick in the draft. The perfect pick for the Steelers, etc....

[RuthlessBurgher]

The only reasons that I could find for his drop is the lack of ideal height (which Elam shares) and a history of concussions (not the best thing in the world for a guy who throws around his body like a heat-seeking missile). I'm excited about the pick, but want to temper expectations a bit, because we have been burned by a hard-hitting safety before (Anthony Smith). All signs point to Shamarko being a responible guy (taking over as the head of household for his 5 younger siblings after the untimely deaths of their parents) rather than a knucklehead like Killswitch, though, so that's promising. Since Carnell was the ultimate utility DB (played LB in college, was a dominant safety in the NFL, and filled in at CB when Woodson was hurt), he's an awesome mentor for Shamarko, who will hopefull get the best out of him.

I wanted the team to follow-up its pick of Shamarko Thomas a hard-hitting little ball of hate at SS in round 4 to back up Troy with another safety named Thomas...a ball-hawking center-fielder of a FS with our second round 4 pick in Fresno State's Philip Thomas to back up Clark. I think that would have been a better pick than Landry Jones at that stage of the draft (Philip Thomas was taken by the Redskins 4 spots after we took Landry Jones). I'm surprised that we didn't address a back-up free safety as well (perhaps they are higher on Robert Golden than I thought). They could have brought in Oklahoma FS Tony Jefferson as an UDFA even, but did not.

[Slapstick]

I believe that they like Golden a lot...

[NorthCoast]

Only concern with Thomas is health. The way he plays and his past history indicates concussions are a real risk. He may be at risk to miss games with the way the new rules regarding concussions are handled.

[steelblood]

IF Thomas can cover WR's man to man, just think how effective he'll be covering TE's in today's NFL. Sure he'll give up some height but he'll force QB's the place the ball perfectly at a point Thomas can't defend.

I think he'll be better against slot receivers than big TEs. Sure he has the athleticism to keep up with TEs. But, a 8 or 9 inch height difference is extreme. When you add in arm length, differences you are talking about well over a foot. His jumping ability will help, but he will still be at a big disadvantage. I don't think I agree with your logic.

That said, I really like the kid and hope he stays healthy and sees the field a lot this year.

[hawaiiansteel]

The Steel Mill

Instant analysis (SHAMARKO THOMAS)

April 27th, 2013

http://blog.triblive.com/steel-mill/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/04/20120901_jla_ai8_478.0_standard_352.0.jpg

The Steelers were so enamored with Syracuse strong safety Shamarko Thomas that they were willing to give up a 2014 third-round pick in order to jump into the third round to draft him. With the Steelers likely to get a third-round compensatory pick next year for the loss of Mike Wallace, it made getting rid of next year’s pick more plausible.

Yes, it was another need pick with the loss of Will Allen and Ryan Mundy via free agency but another good need pick that provides the Steelers will some depth at safety.

The Steelers were in dire need of making the safety position younger and they were able to fill that with a guy who is so versatile enough that he covered USC receiver Robert Woods all over the field when Syracuse played them last year. Woods was taken in the seconds round by Buffalo.

“This guy loves to play football and his tape tells the story,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

Steelers defensive back coach Carnell Lake said that the 5-foot-9 frame of Thomas was the only reason he wasn’t selected earlier in the draft.

“In my opinion, if he was two inches taller he would’ve been in the first round,” Lake said. “He has size, he has speed, he has strength. He is very aware on the field. He cannot only play safety but he can play man-to-man on the slot receiver. He has played nickel and corner at times. He has not only going to do well for out secondary but special teams as well.”

Thomas will be able to get on the field early for the Steelers if not in the secondary but on special teams. Behind Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark, the Steelers have second-year guy Robert Golden and practice-squad player Damon Cromartie Smith.

Instant analysis: Good, solid pick.

http://blog.triblive.com/steel-mill/2013/04/27/instant-analysis-shamarko-thomas/

[skyhawk]

I love that Lake loves this guy.

In the article he mentions why in the heck would syracuse play their starting SS at CB to defend the other teams best player? Well, it's cuz he's that good. And it's SHADES of Carnell's former self when he had to move to CB from SS and played awesome! And remember Lake played LB early in his college career!

[hawaiiansteel]

Unusual move lands a hard-hitting safety for the Steelers

May 3, 2013
By Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://db66abc2c256b763aaef-ce5d943d4869ae027976e5ad085dd9b0.r76.cf2.rackcdn.c om/2013/122/215/shamarko_420.jpg

The Steelers traded up in the NFL draft to take Shamarko Thomas, right, a 5-foot-9, 213-pound safety from Syracuse.

In Shamarko Thomas, the Steelers hope they have found the next Bob Sanders, a compact, powerfully built safety who delivers torpedo-style hits. They hope he is not the next Anthony Smith.

Thomas is a 5-foot-9, 213-pound bundle of speed and unbridled power, and the Steelers thought enough of him to do something they rarely do -- trade away a future draft choice.

And the decision, strangely enough, was based on draft choices they don't have. At least, not right now.

"He's not the biggest kid, but he certainly doesn't play that way," general manager Kevin Colbert said. "He leaves it on the field."

The Steelers needed a safety because they have little depth behind Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark after backups Will Allen and Ryan Mundy signed elsewhere in free agency.

In addition, Clark is 34 and Polamalu could be facing the same situation in 2014 that James Harrison did this year if he doesn't have a more significant impact on the defense. Polamalu missed nine games last season because of injuries and finished with just one interception and no forced fumbles or fumble recoveries.

So the Steelers traded their third-round choice in 2014 to the Cleveland Browns to draft Thomas with the 111th overall selection -- four spots ahead of their own fourth-round choice. It was the first time since 1973 the Steelers traded a future draft choice, but they did it because they expect to get third- and fourth-round compensatory picks in 2014 for Mike Wallace, Rashard Mendenhall and Keenan Lewis.

"We viewed him as valuable as a third-round pick would be," Colbert said.

Pitt fans will remember Thomas for his vicious helmet-to-helmet hit on tight end J.P Holtz in a game at the Carrier Dome last season -- a play in which Thomas' helmet went flying off his head and he immediately collapsed to the ground. The play happened in the fourth quarter, and Thomas never returned to the game.

But that is the way he plays.

There were 10 other safeties selected before Thomas, even though he ran the fastest 40-time of any safety at the NFL combine (averaging 4.42 for his two runs). He also had the best vertical jump of any safety (40 1/2 inches) and did 28 reps on the 225-pound bench. That's more than three top first-round draft picks -- defensive ends Ziggy Ansah and Bjoern Werner and inside linebacker Kevin Minter -- did.

Thomas posted his best 40 time at the combine -- 4.38 seconds -- despite stumbling and doing something of a face plant at the end of his first attempt.

"He even hits the ground violently," said secondary coach Carnell Lake.

But, because he is 5-9, Thomas lasted until the 111th overall pick.

The Steelers were going to draft Thomas in the third round, but instead chose wide receiver Markus Wheaton of Oregon State because they felt there was a bigger need at that position. That night, at the end of the draft, Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin decided they were going to trade into a higher spot on the fourth round and take Thomas with their first pick Saturday.

The Steelers were afraid that Thomas' former coach, Doug Marrone, eventually would draft him for his new team, the Buffalo Bills.

This isn't the first time the Steelers have drafted a physical, rock-ribbed safety from Syracuse in the third round.

In 2006, they drafted Smith, a chiseled, hard-hitting safety, with the first of two picks they acquired on the third round from Minnesota. Smith, though, did not endear himself to Tomlin when he guaranteed a win against the Patriots in New England late in 2007 -- a game in which he was beaten twice for long touchdowns in a 34-13 loss.

Thomas has the same torpedo-like tendencies when he tackles, but the Steelers hope he plays with more discipline than Smith -- and doesn't guarantee victories.

Unlike Smith, who was a free safety, Thomas played strong safety with Syracuse. He is the first strong safety from the school to be drafted since Donovin Darius in 1998.

The Steelers likely will use Thomas at free safety because that is the position that calls the defensive backfield signals, something he did at Syracuse.

"I will play anywhere they want me," Thomas said. "I just want to be on the field. I want to help out the Steelers."

But Lake said he could also play in the nickel.

"The great thing about this young man is, if you were in a pinch and you didn't want to put the nickel package out there and you wanted him to play man-to-man on the slot, he could do it," Lake said. "He has done it in big games already against some of the receivers that have been drafted in the first two rounds and he shut them down.

"That is the kind of safety I like. That is the kind of safety the Steelers are looking for. Not only will he cover well, but he will hit you and hit you hard."

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/unusual-move-lands-a-hard-hitting-safety-for-the-steelers-686063/#ixzz2SC9Epio1

[thor75]

It would be a classy move by the FO to sign him quickly imo, as his parents died and he is supporting his siblings.

Saw where Colbert thinks they'll get a third and fourth round comp pick next year for Wallace and Allen.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers’ rookie defensive back Thomas doesn’t lack motivation

By Mark Kaboly
Published: Monday, May 6, 2013

http://triblive.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=ySn3_ D_IXitEuGAEGUZoZs$daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYtYSiEnTe52Oau ap6d3XwooWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF$9l$4 uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_C ryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg

Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau talks with fourth-round pick Shamarko Thomas during rookie minicamp May 3, 2013, on the South Side.

The Steelers jettisoned veterans Ryan Mundy and Will Allen in the offseason, leaving the safety position a little thin with no starting experience behind Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu:

Name Age Exp. Starts

Ryan Clark 33 11 121

Troy Polamalu 32 10 114

Ross Ventrone 26 2 0

Robert Golden 22 2 0

Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith 26 1 0

Shamarko Thomas 22 R 0

After getting his life headed in the right direction near the end of his high school playing career after “following the wrong crowd,” coupled with a productive freshman year at Syracuse, Shamarko Thomas' dream of playing in the NFL not only seemed attainable, but was all but a sure thing.

That dream quickly changed.

In a nine-month span during his sophomore season at Syracuse, it was no longer a dream but an absolute necessity.

Thomas' mother, Ebeth Shabazz, died suddenly at age 36 of an undiagnosed heart condition nine months after his stepfather, Abdul Shabazz, was killed in a motorcycle crash.

Thomas was just 20 years old at the time. He was thrust into becoming a de facto parent of four younger brothers and a sister — ranging in age from 6 to 16 — in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Va.

“Those are my babies,” Thomas said. “I use my brothers and sister as motivation. I have to take care of them. It's a big motivation.”

It was motivation that got Thomas up early in the morning to work out during college. It was motivation for him to stay late every night to the point where he would get kicked out of the weight room. It was motivation that helped Thomas post NFL-scouting-combine-bests at his position in the 40-yard dash (4.42 seconds), bench press (28 reps), broad jump (133 inches) and vertical leap (40½ inches) — figures that allowed teams to overlook his height (5-foot-9) and draft him.

The Steelers were first in line and did something they rarely do — trade a future pick to secure another fourth-round selection, in order to select Thomas.

“I think if he had two more inches he would have been in the first round in my opinion. That's how highly I think of this young man,” Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake said. “He has size, he has speed and he has strength.”

Thomas hasn't signed his rookie contract, but where he was slotted in the fourth round — 109th overall — it likely will net him a four-year, $2.7 million deal. About $500,000 will be guaranteed — plenty of money to provide for his family.

“My motivation was always about providing for them,” Thomas said. “I just took grasp of it and embraced it. Sure, it was tough to deal with, especially being young and in college, but Syracuse had a great support system. Coach (Doug) Marrone stayed on me and my teammates. They are my best friends. They kept me motivated and focused.”

Thomas' brothers and sister are living with his grandmother in Chesapeake, Va.

Thomas' style of play has been compared to some of the best: Ronnie Lott, Bob Sanders and the late Sean Taylor, all of whom were physical and fast.

“He's not the biggest kid, but he certainly doesn't play that way,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said. “He leaves it on the field.”

Even though he is a little undersized, Lake liked Thomas because of his ability to play deep safety, defend a receiver in the slot, play cornerback in a pinch and, of course, his tackling awareness.

“This is the kind of safety I like,” Lake said. “This is the kind of safety that the Steelers are looking for. Not only will he cover well, but he will hit you and hit you hard.”

Thomas had a solid junior season at Syracuse and contemplated turning pro before deciding to come back for his senior year. He started all 13 games for the Orange and led the team with 88 tackles and three forced fumbles. Thomas was a consensus All-Big East first-team selection.

“There are some people who think I am too short,” Thomas said. “My ‘too short' got me here, so I am happy to be a part of Steelers Nation.”

The Steelers were in need of depth at safety. Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark are the only two at the position on the roster who have started in the NFL. Polamalu and Clark have 235 career starts between them. The rest of the safeties on the roster — Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith, Ross Ventrone, Robert Golden — have zero.

“My job is to get him ready,” Lake said. “I think since I've been here, going on my third year, it hasn't really been that much of an issue.”

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3971126-74/thomas-steelers-motivation#ixzz2ScfJ5ljT

[DukieBoy]

Shark = 5'9"
Troy = 5'10"

[BigRob]

Shark = 5'9"
Troy = 5'10"

Yep and the Shark has about 10 lbs on Troy to boot.

[flippy]

Yep and the Shark has about 10 lbs on Troy to boot.

If Troy could somehow get and stay healthy for some more years, I think he and the Shark could be a crazy tandem of safeties and could really cause some major problems for opposing offenses.

[Keyplay1]

Really a lot to like about this player. Can't wait to see him in action throughout TC and pre-season. Meanwhile this is fun to.

Uhh! Someone said he has been practicing that play where Troy leaps over the line and grabs the QB. But only Shark is doing it while the QB is in the shotgun. :D

I don't think he has tried it blocking punts yet.

Rumor is they are working him in on some RB plays.:D

Someone said the draft pick came down to either Shark or Chuck Norris. No coin flip was necessary.

[hawaiiansteel]

The Florida Fix: Saying Goodbye To Matt Elam

May 9th, 2013 by John Carey

http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/182/files/2013/05/6612146.jpg

Matt Elam was one of the elite defenders on Florida’s defense in both 2012 and 2011. When Florida went 7-6 in 2011, Elam was one of the few bright spots on the team, as he played at an elite level. He was a vocal leader on defense, and led by example by being a team player and never calling out guys in public or causing locker room strife.

During his career at Florida, Elam played with a reckless style and was one of the hardest hitting players in college football. Elam was second on the team in tackles with 76, and also had 11 tackles for loss. He was 1st team All-SEC and 1st team All-Pro. He was also voted a team captain in 2012. Elam’s best attributes are his ability to walk up to the line of scrimmage and be physical, and to also be able to drop back and be a single high safety. He gets a nice initial jam on receivers when he is in slot coverage, and is able to disrupt their routes for the first 4 or 5 yards. Elam shows good vision and anticipation when fighting through blocks near the line of scrimmage and is generally a reliable, physical tackler. He brings his hips as a hitter, showing the closing speed and raw power to generate explosiveness. Elam was one of Florida’s best safeties in quite some time and had a great career, and his NFL career is just as promising.

The Ravens filled one of their primary offseason needs when they took Elam at pick #32. While many see the loss of Ed Reed as the reason they have a hole at safety, they also cut Bernard Pollard, which left a whole at both safety positions. They signed Michael Huff to fill in at Reed’s spot, so Elam will slide into Pollard’s former spot, where Elam is a more natural fit. Raven’s GM Ozzie Newsome’s draft strategy is to take the best player available when he picks, so Elam was obviously their top rated player left when they picked. Newsome loves to get players from the SEC, as he is an Alabama alumnus, and knows that only the best play in the SEC as one must play a physical and powerful game to win. The Ravens had Elam come in for several private workouts during the draft process and he was rumored to be one of their favorite players in this year’s class.

Elam is a perfect fit in Baltimore’s defensive scheme with his physical style of play, and he will step in and start right away for the Ravens at strong safety. Elam has the typical Ravens mindset, to be physical and aggressive and to, as Mike Singletary would say, go out and hit people in the mouth. Elam will benefit greatly from a Baltimore front 7 that has gotten a bit of a face lift this offseason, with the additions of Elvis Dumervil, Chris Canty, Marcus Spears, Arthur Brown, and Rolando McClain. This group will provide an effective pass rush to confuse the quarterback into throwing to Elam, and will allow him to play more comfortably in coverage. This group will also dominate the line of scrimmage and open up holes for Elam to make plays in the run game as well. With such great pieces around Elam, do not be surprised if he ends up with 4 or 5 interceptions on the year and several tackles for loss as well.

Elam falling to pick #32 wasn’t all that big of a surprise as most mock drafts had him going somewhere in the mid/late first to early second round. Elam being a late first is likely due to his limited ability as a coverage safety, as he doesn’t possess the elite speed to cover some of the wide receivers or tight ends in today’s NFL. He also did have a good amount of penalties in his collegiate career due to his physical style of play, and with the current move towards the game getting a little softer; some teams may have been weary to pick up a hard hitting in the box safety. He is a little smaller than one would usually want at the safety position, but there is nothing he can do to improve that. He also had some minor arrests early in his college career involving alcohol.

Elam needs to develop his game more to adjust to life in the NFL as he still has some holes to fill. His aggressive style of play can be a blessing for him but can also be a curse, as he can tend to be too aggressive and come in too hot and lose his balance and control and leave cut back lanes. He can tend to lead with his shoulder when tackling, and will often leave his feet as well. His biggest issue are his cover skills as elite quarterbacks will often pick on him in coverage by having their receivers run routes that take advantage of his below average lateral agility, such as in the Sugar Bowl, where he was picked on by Bridgewater numerous times. If Elam can work on these holes in his game, he can be one of the elite safeties in the NFL.

With Josh Evans and De’Ante Saunders also out of the picture for 2013, Florida’s depth at safety will be tested. While Jabari Gorman looks to be the replacement for Evans, it appears as though the Gators’ safety recruits will be battling rising sophomores Marcus Maye and Rhaheim Ledbetter for the starting strong safety spot. Neither Mayes nor Rhaheim played much at all in their freshman season for the Gators, and reportedly seem even in their battle right now heading into the summer. Florida also has some talented freshman safeties coming in that could fight for playing time, namely Marcell Harris. Harris was a top recruit last year, and is a natural fit to come in and start at Elam’s strong safety spot. He has a very similar style of physical play as Elam, and has been called a taller version of Elam. At the moment it seems as if it will be a 3 way battle at the beginning of the season for Elam’s starting spot, and I would tend to say that Harris will wind up winning the spot, as he is the most natural replacement.

Matt Elam had a wonderful career for the Florida Gators, and will forever be one of the top defenders to play for Florida. His physical presence on defense will be missed on defense, and his role as a vocal leader on defense is something that will leave a void as well. Elam was a great Gator, but look for him to be an even better Raven. If he can work on some of the holes in his game, he can be an All Pro safety in the NFL. So as Elam leaves for his NFL career, I wish him all the success in his endeavors, and hope that he can become one of the greats.

So goodbye Matt Elam and good luck in the NFL.

http://withthefirstpick.com/2013/05/09/the-florida-fix-saying-goodbye-to-matt-elam/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=Hot%2BTopics

[BigRob]

IMO, they are very similar prospects. Physically Elam has one inch on the Shark. The Shark has about 10 lbs on Elam. I like them both. Glad we got the Shark for essentially a 3rd rd pick.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRqHZqvBX5F9mXXFdkcWYRJE6K-eVLjMmLKUxt_oY_bNshSEyqq

[NorthCoast]

Gonna be a fun few years watching the AFCN: Mingo vs Jones, Elam vs Thomas, Bernard vs Bell.

At the very least, it should be constant motivation for these guys to one-up each other.

[papillon]

My concern with him is that he'll be a rookie. Veteran quarterbacks like Ben, Brady, Manning, Brees, Rogers, Rivers, etc eat young safeties for lunch. I hope he's a fast learner.

Pappy