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.

[hawaiiansteel]

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

I agree completely.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.