Shamarko Thomas is first Steelers draft pick to sign

[Slapstick]

Troy had all of ONE int as a senior.

3 as a junior and 2 as a sophmore.

Mike doss in the same class had more picks.

Glad we went "talent" over college ints

I liked Mike Doss a lot, but I agree with you...

[Vader]

Troy had all of ONE int as a senior.

3 as a junior and 2 as a sophmore.

Mike doss in the same class had more picks.

Glad we went "talent" over college ints

And what does that have to do with anything I said? I said that the STeelers selected Thomas's speed over P. Thomas's production. What part of that is wrong? Is S. Thomas faster? Did P. Thomas have more production?

How about Ed Reed? He had 17 picks in 2 years. You rather have S. Thomas? See you can play the "Player X did this in college" all day. The fact is that P. Thomas had better production. Doesn't mean that S. Thomas can't play or that P.Thomas is going to be a great player. It's just an observation.

[hawaiiansteel]

Is Pittsburgh Steelers Rookie Shamarko Thomas Too Small for the NFL?

By Kyle Curry on July 4, 2013



One of the main reasons Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas was still avaliable in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft was his height. Thomas is considered very short by NFL standards at 5’9″, despite the fact he stands an inch taller than the average male based on Livestrong.com’s numbers.

Woodson is listed at 5’11″ and he is clearly a few inches taller than Thomas. Current Steelers safety Troy Polamalu stands 5’10″ and may follow Woodson’s path into the Hall of Fame.

Even so, at 5’9″ Thomas is considered by some to be on the verge of being to short for the NFL.

WalterFootball.com, arguably the best site for NFL mock drafts, put out their rookie forecast for the Steelers 2013 draft class and they believe that Thomas’ height could negatively affect his NFL career.

Thomas (5-9, 213), is extremely short and that was a factor in him having zero passes broken up as a senior. Tight ends and receivers can make receptions over him. That issue could prove to be a liability in matching up on pass-receiving tight ends in the NFL, a primary responsibility for many safeties.

Thomas should, at the very least, develop into a good backup safety who contributes well on special teams. He could become a starter, but he has to prove that he can overcome the height issue first.

Of course, it is way to early to start talking about what these players will do during their NFL careers. Back in 2008 we all thought the Steelers had drafted a star running back in Rashard Mendenhall and a number one receiver in Limas Sweed and we all saw how that played out.

Some listings have Thomas’ height at 5’10″, but as most fans know players heights and weights are mis-stated in most listings put out by the team to make them seem taller or bigger than they are. Or in the case of Casey Hampton to make him seem smaller than he was.

It will be interesting to see how Thomas’ size looks when standing next to Polamalu during training camp. Polamalu came out of college at 5’10″, 215 pounds and ran a 4.40 forty yard dash. Thomas, on the other hand, measured in at 5’9″, 213 pounds and ran a 4.37 forty. That one inch doesn’t seem like it would make a huge difference is his ability to have success in the NFL, but you never know.

Also, if Thomas looks to be the same size as Polamalu than there shouldn’t be much to worry about. Thomas seems to have his head on straight and is striving for greatness. With Polamalu and Ryan Clark as his teachers he has a good path to get to that point.

During pre-Draft analysis Thomas was compared to former-Colts hard-hitting safety Bob Sanders. When healthy, and it was rare for him to stay healthy, Sanders was one of the top safeties in the NFL. Sanders is only 5’8″, but it was injuries not his height that derailed his NFL career.

As WalterFootball.com stated his height could be an issue and if it changes his ability to be a starter in the NFL it would be rather disappointing. As of now though there is no reason to believe that he can’t excel in the NFL as a full-time starter when Polamalu and Clark leave the Steelers.

Also, just to add WalterFootball.com said in their post that Thomas had no pass deflections in 2012 as a senior. Sport-reference.com has Thomas listed with two pass deflections in 2012 and 7 in his career. It’s also important to remember that Thomas was used close to the line in most of Syracuse’s defensive sets.

It would be hard for any player to rack up pass deflections and interceptions when they are used close to the line in run defense and to rush the quarterback. Luckily for Thomas he has Polamalu in front of him and will have time to adapt and learn more coverage skills before hitting the field as part of the Steelers defense.

However, with Clark set to be a free agent after the 2013 season and Polamalu nearing the end of his career there may be a safety spot open sooner, rather than later, for Thomas. The other young safety that Thomas will be working with during training camp is Robert Golden, who was an undrafted rookie free agent last season.

Golden and Thomas could be the future at safety for the Steelers, but both players have a long ways to go before they hit the starting line-up or become as well known as Clark and Polamalu.

[URL]http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/is_pittsburgh_steelers_rookie_shamarko_thomas_too_ small_for_the_nfl/13973032[/URL]

[NorthCoast]

Anyone ever wonder why that can't use shoe lifts in the NFL? I am not talking crazy lift height, just an inch or two...

[SteelSpain]

Position rankings [URL="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1682114/shamarko-thomas"]Shamarko Thomas[/URL]:

-40 time Number one
-Bench Press Number one
-High Jump Number one
-Long jump Number two

Is he just a workout warrior?
Answer
-Team tackles First
-Team forced fumbles First
-All Conference team selected to: !st

Round selected FOURTH

Safeties taken already TEN

We got without question the best athlete at the safety position, a player who was a productive beast in college IN THE FOURTH?

How in the HECK can ANYONE not LOVE this pick!!!!

Are you people kidding me?

Great post. Nothing more to say.

[Captain Lemming]

And what does that have to do with anything I said? I said that the STeelers selected Thomas's speed over P. Thomas's production. What part of that is wrong? Is S. Thomas faster? Did P. Thomas have more production?

How about Ed Reed? He had 17 picks in 2 years. You rather have S. Thomas? See you can play the "Player X did this in college" all day. The fact is that P. Thomas had better production. Doesn't mean that S. Thomas can't play or that P.Thomas is going to be a great player. It's just an observation.

My point was that YOU SAID nobody but Troy can make an int.
My reply was simply a reminder that Troy did not have ints in college either.

[Vader]

My point was that YOU SAID nobody but Troy can make an int.
My reply was simply a reminder that Troy did not have ints in college either.

And that still doesn't change the fact that the Steelers selected speed over production. Almost every analysis of Thomas says he needs to work on his ball catching ability. I never saw anything like that from Troy's analysis when he was drafted. Troy was considered short (not as short as Thomas) and had health issues. If Thomas takes over for troy in a few years that means nobody can catch an int. in the entire secondary. That's my point. Everybody is talking about the need for more TOs. But with Thomas I don't see that happening. He isn't a ball hawk... which is something most steeler fans want.

[SteelSpain]

And that still doesn't change the fact that the Steelers selected speed over production. Almost every analysis of Thomas says he needs to work on his ball catching ability. I never saw anything like that from Troy's analysis when he was drafted. Troy was considered short (not as short as Thomas) and had health issues. If Thomas takes over for troy in a few years that means nobody can catch an int. in the entire secondary. That's my point. Everybody is talking about the need for more TOs. But with Thomas I don't see that happening. He isn't a ball hawk... which is something most steeler fans want.

Cortez Allen had two interceptions in three starts in the final of the last season. The average would be ten in a full season. Not bad.

And someone has to take over Ike soon. Maybe they take a ball hawk. I think Thomas was a WONDERFULL pick in the fourth.

[Vader]

Cortez Allen had two interceptions in three starts in the final of the last season. The average would be ten in a full season. Not bad.

And someone has to take over Ike soon. Maybe they take a ball hawk. I think Thomas was a WONDERFULL pick in the fourth.

I'm not sure that's enough statistical evidence of anything. 2 picks in 3 games could just be an anomaly. I never said that he wasn't a good pick. Just that he doesn't fit what most fans wanted. He likes to play close to the LOS and is a hitter like Bob Sanders. With the way the NFL is going hard hitting safeties are probably going to be a thing of the past. I know he has good speed so hopefully he can play tight coverage at times and make up some ground. I just don't expect a lot of int. from him.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

If I had to choose between a DB with good hands or good speed and coverage ability, i'm choosing the one with good coverage ability... Ike has bad hands, but, there aren't too many DBs I'd rather have over the last decade... funny how some equate INT's with "production"...

[Captain Lemming]

And that still doesn't change the fact that the Steelers selected speed over production.

And that was never a point of disagreement. Heck every post of mine makes that very point. Again my point:

You said Troy is the only one who gets ints. But even Troy did not get many ints in college.

Almost every analysis of Thomas says he needs to work on his ball catching ability. I never saw anything like that from Troy's analysis when he was drafted. Troy was considered short (not as short as Thomas) and had health issues. If Thomas takes over for troy in a few years that means nobody can catch an int. in the entire secondary. That's my point. Everybody is talking about the need for more TOs. But with Thomas I don't see that happening. He isn't a ball hawk... which is something most steeler fans want.

Just because you never saw it does not mean it wasnt there:

"Ran an amazing 4.35-40 and vertical jumped 43" at his "Pro day" workout, but isn't considered very good in coverage. Is short by NFL standards..........."

Sounds almost EXACTLY like a Thomas profile. But it is the Hair and Shoulders dude.
[URL="http://www.markberger.com/games/steelers_2003_predraft.htm"]
http://www.markberger.com/games/steelers_2003_predraft.htm[/URL]




"Negatives: Short for the NFL and is not a real ballhawk."

[URL]http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/tracker/player?id=6771[/URL]

Were it not for the links you would not know WHO I was talking about now would you?

Both are off the chart in speed leaping ability, like to play in the box are "thick" and short.

And yes, BOTH received criticism about coverage skills for lack of ints.

All I know is that coach played Thomas in man to man as a CORNER against Robert Woods of USC (he got a pick in the process). A coach would never do that with a safety if he cant cover.

[steelz09]

And that was never a point of disagreement. Heck every post of mine makes that very point. Again my point:

You said Troy is the only one who gets ints. But even Troy did not get many ints in college.



Just because you never saw it does not mean it wasnt there:

"Ran an amazing 4.35-40 and vertical jumped 43" at his "Pro day" workout, but isn't considered very good in coverage. Is short by NFL standards..........."

Sounds almost EXACTLY like a Thomas profile. But it is the Hair and Shoulders dude.
[URL="http://www.markberger.com/games/steelers_2003_predraft.htm"]
http://www.markberger.com/games/steelers_2003_predraft.htm[/URL]




"Negatives: Short for the NFL and is not a real ballhawk."

[URL]http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/tracker/player?id=6771[/URL]

Were it not for the links you would not know WHO I was talking about now would you?

Both are off the chart in speed leaping ability, like to play in the box are "thick" and short.

And yes, BOTH received criticism about coverage skills for lack of ints.

All I know is that coach played Thomas in man to man as a CORNER against Robert Woods of USC (he got a pick in the process). A coach would never do that with a safety if he cant cover.

Don't get me wrong... I like Thomas. With that being said, I watched the replay of the USC game and I wasn't overly impressed. Granted, I didn't get the opportunity to see him on every, single play against Woods. Covering woods is impressive... no doubt. I just thought Thomas played very out of control when coming up to attack the ball carrier/receiver.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

If I had to choose between a DB with good hands or good speed and coverage ability, i'm choosing the one with good coverage ability... Ike has bad hands, but, there aren't too many DBs I'd rather have over the last decade... funny how some equate INT's with "production"...

Is there one of those facebook "like" icons that I can click for this post?

[Captain Lemming]

Don't get me wrong... I like Thomas. With that being said, I watched the replay of the USC game and I wasn't overly impressed. Granted, I didn't get the opportunity to see him on every, single play against Woods. Covering woods is impressive... no doubt. I just thought Thomas played very out of control when coming up to attack the ball carrier/receiver.

Sounds like a guy we drafted in 2003

[Vader]

And that was never a point of disagreement. Heck every post of mine makes that very point. Again my point:

You said Troy is the only one who gets ints. But even Troy did not get many ints in college.



Just because you never saw it does not mean it wasnt there:

"Ran an amazing 4.35-40 and vertical jumped 43" at his "Pro day" workout, but isn't considered very good in coverage. Is short by NFL standards..........."

Sounds almost EXACTLY like a Thomas profile. But it is the Hair and Shoulders dude.
[URL="http://www.markberger.com/games/steelers_2003_predraft.htm"]
http://www.markberger.com/games/steelers_2003_predraft.htm[/URL]




"Negatives: Short for the NFL and is not a real ballhawk."

[URL]http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/tracker/player?id=6771[/URL]

Were it not for the links you would not know WHO I was talking about now would you?

Both are off the chart in speed leaping ability, like to play in the box are "thick" and short.

And yes, BOTH received criticism about coverage skills for lack of ints.

All I know is that coach played Thomas in man to man as a CORNER against Robert Woods of USC (he got a pick in the process). A coach would never do that with a safety if he cant cover.

Those quotes say that he isn't good in coverage. It doesn't mean that he can't catch an int. Those are called ball skills. Ike can't catch a cold but he is in position to make an int all the time. Coverage skills means that a player can stay with the WR not catch an int.

Also just because one player is similar to another player doesn't mean they'll have the same success. I can find tons of short safeties that didn't make it. Troy was thought to be too short but that doesn't mean that Thomas is going to be just because someone else succeeded that was short. And the thing is Thomas is shorter than Troy who the experts thought was too short.

The int. against USC he was playing deep not press coverage. The QB made a bad throw behind the WR. If he waits just a second longer and leads the WR Thomas is toast. Also in that game he got juked out of his shorts by Woods the USC running back. He is a hitter and he came up to make a hit and Woods turned his knees to jello. Over 50+ yard run because the safety missed an easy tackle.

Again, I hope he does well but I just don't see an interception machine in the making.