Shamarko Thomas is first Steelers draft pick to sign

[skyhawk]

And I remember the term Bustamalu being thrown around here after his first and second seasons.

We will wait and see how Thomas turns out.

[steelz09]

Sounds like a guy we drafted in 2003

Please don't expect Thomas to be a Polamalu. You will likely be highly disappointed.

Polamalu set a new standard for how SS can be played and is clearly a first ballot HOFer.

[Captain Lemming]

Please don't expect Thomas to be a Polamalu. You will likely be highly disappointed.

Polamalu set a new standard for how SS can be played and is clearly a first ballot HOFer.

I dont EXPECT Thomas to be good as Troy, who yes is HOF bound.

I however, I LOVE the fact that we just drafted a guy IN THE FOURTH who has a scouting report that at a quick glance could be mistaken for Troy's.

If he is Troy lite that would be........Bob Sanders.

NOT.....TOO......SHABBY

[flippy]

Please don't expect Thomas to be a Polamalu. You will likely be highly disappointed.

Polamalu set a new standard for how SS can be played and is clearly a first ballot HOFer.

I prefer to expect every Steeler player to be an All Pro until he proves otherwise. Sure, I'll likely be disappointed, but it makes the anticipation more fun. Plus, by the time any player disappoints, there will be another of him in the pipeline to have high expectations all over. Very few ever surpass my expectations, but oh well

[flippy]

I dont EXPECT Thomas to be good as Troy, who yes is HOF bound.

I however, I LOVE the fact that we just drafted a guy IN THE FOURTH who has a scouting report that at a quick glance could be mistaken for Troy's.

If he is Troy lite that would be........Bob Sanders.

NOT.....TOO......SHABBY

I'm with you. In the 4th round, this is my favorite pick in the draft. Heck the whole day 3 of the draft was pretty terrific on paper. Even Justin Brown who seems to be given no chance by anyone.

[hawaiiansteel]

Very few ever surpass my expectations, but oh well

just curious flippy, who was the last Steelers player to surpass your expectations?

[flippy]

just curious flippy, who was the last Steelers player to surpass your expectations?

Ben and Troy are the 2 current guys that come to mind.

Later round picks or UDFAs have also surpassed my expectations over the years as well. Current guys on the roster like Foster, Keisel, Clark, AB, McClendon, Beachum, and Redman.

After seeing guys play, my expectations often become more realistic, then I've been pleasantly surprised by some guys I thought would be awful like Keenan, Dwyer, and even DJ who I thought was turning a big corner last year prior to his injury.

[Captain Lemming]

I'm with you. In the 4th round, this is my favorite pick in the draft.

Yup, I LOVE this pick in the fourth.
The team traded a 3rd to get him which tells me they feel he was seriously undervalued.

[RuthlessBurgher]

The only thing that continues to bug me about the Shamarko pick was that his college coach passed on drafting him 5 times.

He's supposed to have an insane workout regimen and a leader of men...wouldn't Doug Marrone want to bring a guy like that with him to Buffalo?

We took Shamarko with the 111th overall pick in the 4th round, and Marrone's Bills opted to go elsewhere with the following picks:

1.16 QB E.J. Manuel, Florida State
2.41 WR Robert Woods, USC
2.46 LB Kiko Alonso, Oregon
3.78 WR Marquise Goodwin, Texas
4.105 SS Duke Williams, Nevada

MARRONE CHOSE A DIFFERENT STRONG SAFETY SIX PICKS BEFORE WE TRADED NEXT YEAR'S THIRD ROUND PICK TO GET SHAMARKO. That 4.105 pick is quite bothersome in my mind. It just doesn't make sense to me, unless there is something about Shamarko that his former coach DIDN'T like about him that we don't know about.

Sure, Duke Williams is 2 inches taller than Shamarko (5'11" vs. 5'9"), but the Shark is 10 lbs heavier (203 vs. 213), runs the 40 yard dash .11 seconds faster (4.48 vs. 4.37), had 15 more lifts of 225 lbs on the bench (13 vs. 28...MORE THAN DOUBLED HIM), jumped 3 inches higher in the vertical (37.5 vs. 40.5), and jumped 7 inches farther in the broad (10'6" vs. 11'1"). NFLDraftScout.com (one of the most respected draft sites on the internet; CBS Sports and USA Today use them) had Shamarko projected as a 3rd or 4th round prospect, with Duke Williams projected as a 5th round prospect. It's not as if Duke Williams is a ball-hawk either (he has 1 INT this season, 1 INT last season, and 2 INT's the year before that). I can't wrap my mind around why in the world that Marrone would take someone like Duke Williams over a known quantity like Shamarko Thomas at the same position. It bothers me.

[Northern_Blitz]

The only thing that continues to bug me about the Shamarko pick was that his college coach passed on drafting him 5 times.

He's supposed to have an insane workout regimen and a leader of men...wouldn't Doug Marrone want to bring a guy like that with him to Buffalo?

We took Shamarko with the 111th overall pick in the 4th round, and Marrone's Bills opted to go elsewhere with the following picks:

1.16 QB E.J. Manuel, Florida State
2.41 WR Robert Woods, USC
2.46 LB Kiko Alonso, Oregon
3.78 WR Marquise Goodwin, Texas
4.105 SS Duke Williams, Nevada

MARRONE CHOSE A DIFFERENT STRONG SAFETY SIX PICKS BEFORE WE TRADED NEXT YEAR'S THIRD ROUND PICK TO GET SHAMARKO. That 4.105 pick is quite bothersome in my mind. It just doesn't make sense to me, unless there is something about Shamarko that his former coach DIDN'T like about him that we don't know about.

Sure, Duke Williams is 2 inches taller than Shamarko (5'11" vs. 5'9"), but the Shark is 10 lbs heavier (203 vs. 213), runs the 40 yard dash .11 seconds faster (4.48 vs. 4.37), had 15 more lifts of 225 lbs on the bench (13 vs. 28...MORE THAN DOUBLED HIM), jumped 3 inches higher in the vertical (37.5 vs. 40.5), and jumped 7 inches farther in the broad (10'6" vs. 11'1"). NFLDraftScout.com (one of the most respected draft sites on the internet; CBS Sports and USA Today use them) had Shamarko projected as a 3rd or 4th round prospect, with Duke Williams projected as a 5th round prospect. It's not as if Duke Williams is a ball-hawk either (he has 1 INT this season, 1 INT last season, and 2 INT's the year before that). I can't wrap my mind around why in the world that Marrone would take someone like Duke Williams over a known quantity like Shamarko Thomas at the same position. It bothers me.

That's some great info.

I am still hopeful because

(1) A brand new coach might not have much - if any - input on draft decisions. Their FO might have put more faith in their scouting team that got to see a more diverse group. They may have also fallen in love with Williams for one reason or another. The Coach's vote may have been to get Shark, but he may have been over-ruled. It's too bad we'd never get any "insider" info on something like this.

(2) It's not like the Bills are a shining example of how to run a franchise. Hopefully, this is just one of their many post K-Gun screw-ups with personnel.

[flippy]

The only thing that continues to bug me about the Shamarko pick was that his college coach passed on drafting him 5 times.

He's supposed to have an insane workout regimen and a leader of men...wouldn't Doug Marrone want to bring a guy like that with him to Buffalo?

We took Shamarko with the 111th overall pick in the 4th round, and Marrone's Bills opted to go elsewhere with the following picks:

1.16 QB E.J. Manuel, Florida State
2.41 WR Robert Woods, USC
2.46 LB Kiko Alonso, Oregon
3.78 WR Marquise Goodwin, Texas
4.105 SS Duke Williams, Nevada

MARRONE CHOSE A DIFFERENT STRONG SAFETY SIX PICKS BEFORE WE TRADED NEXT YEAR'S THIRD ROUND PICK TO GET SHAMARKO. That 4.105 pick is quite bothersome in my mind. It just doesn't make sense to me, unless there is something about Shamarko that his former coach DIDN'T like about him that we don't know about.

Sure, Duke Williams is 2 inches taller than Shamarko (5'11" vs. 5'9"), but the Shark is 10 lbs heavier (203 vs. 213), runs the 40 yard dash .11 seconds faster (4.48 vs. 4.37), had 15 more lifts of 225 lbs on the bench (13 vs. 28...MORE THAN DOUBLED HIM), jumped 3 inches higher in the vertical (37.5 vs. 40.5), and jumped 7 inches farther in the broad (10'6" vs. 11'1"). NFLDraftScout.com (one of the most respected draft sites on the internet; CBS Sports and USA Today use them) had Shamarko projected as a 3rd or 4th round prospect, with Duke Williams projected as a 5th round prospect. It's not as if Duke Williams is a ball-hawk either (he has 1 INT this season, 1 INT last season, and 2 INT's the year before that). I can't wrap my mind around why in the world that Marrone would take someone like Duke Williams over a known quantity like Shamarko Thomas at the same position. It bothers me.

That's interesting. Wonder how many former college coaches end up drafting their own players? They may not be the ones making the picks just yet and they may want to avoid some sort of nepotism.

Another way to look at it - if Marrone picks Shark and he doesn't translate to the NFL, it would look bad for him because he had so much experience with him. So maybe he thinks being short is a risk or something else is a risk at the next level that he doesn't want to take. Because if he endorses Shark and it doesn't work, it's a little egg on his face. So going in another direction with who the scouts like may just be politically easier.

The SS pick by Buffalo is interesting.

[Snatch98]

That's interesting. Wonder how many former college coaches end up drafting their own players? They may not be the ones making the picks just yet and they may want to avoid some sort of nepotism.

Another way to look at it - if Marrone picks Shark and he doesn't translate to the NFL, it would look bad for him because he had so much experience with him. So maybe he thinks being short is a risk or something else is a risk at the next level that he doesn't want to take. Because if he endorses Shark and it doesn't work, it's a little egg on his face. So going in another direction with who the scouts like may just be politically easier.

The SS pick by Buffalo is interesting.

All anyone would need to do is go back through a bunch of drafts and see just how many times a Coach drafts a player that coached in college. It doesn't happen very often and I personally don't believe it happens very often for the reasons you highlighted above. Nepotism, if he doesn't work out it's a flag for the coach etc, etc, etc. The Steelers wouldn't have given up a future 3rd round pick to grab Shark Thomas if he had any major reasons to not be drafted in that position. I think we've got a gem BUT I usually love most of our picks until they pan out or fall on their face. No matter what, my hopes remain high as things stand right now.

[Captain Lemming]

The only thing that continues to bug me about the Shamarko pick was that his college coach passed on drafting him 5 times.

That IS concerning

we took Shamarko with the 111th overall pick in the 4th round, and Marrone's Bills opted to go elsewhere

Oh, he's the BILLS coach.
One not name Levy.
THAT explains it.

Unlike the Steelers, the Bills track record on coach hires leave me questioning the mans judgement. Heck Tom Donahoe became a moron once he left us and went to that team

[Shoe]

It is very disconcerting; no doubt about it. You gotta know that his college coach would scoop him up in a heartbeat, if he thought he was the baller we all think he can be. Especially in the 4th round--nobody is going to hold him accountable (i.e. nepotism) for failing with a 4th round pick.

It reminds me of Pete the Cheat passing Taylor Mays up for Earl Thomas. But even then, there is a legitimate excuse (as one can't be frivolous, with 1st round picks).

[NorthCoast]

The only thing that continues to bug me about the Shamarko pick was that his college coach passed on drafting him 5 times.

He's supposed to have an insane workout regimen and a leader of men...wouldn't Doug Marrone want to bring a guy like that with him to Buffalo?

We took Shamarko with the 111th overall pick in the 4th round, and Marrone's Bills opted to go elsewhere with the following picks:

1.16 QB E.J. Manuel, Florida State
2.41 WR Robert Woods, USC
2.46 LB Kiko Alonso, Oregon
3.78 WR Marquise Goodwin, Texas
4.105 SS Duke Williams, Nevada

MARRONE CHOSE A DIFFERENT STRONG SAFETY SIX PICKS BEFORE WE TRADED NEXT YEAR'S THIRD ROUND PICK TO GET SHAMARKO. That 4.105 pick is quite bothersome in my mind. It just doesn't make sense to me, unless there is something about Shamarko that his former coach DIDN'T like about him that we don't know about.

Sure, Duke Williams is 2 inches taller than Shamarko (5'11" vs. 5'9"), but the Shark is 10 lbs heavier (203 vs. 213), runs the 40 yard dash .11 seconds faster (4.48 vs. 4.37), had 15 more lifts of 225 lbs on the bench (13 vs. 28...MORE THAN DOUBLED HIM), jumped 3 inches higher in the vertical (37.5 vs. 40.5), and jumped 7 inches farther in the broad (10'6" vs. 11'1"). NFLDraftScout.com (one of the most respected draft sites on the internet; CBS Sports and USA Today use them) had Shamarko projected as a 3rd or 4th round prospect, with Duke Williams projected as a 5th round prospect. It's not as if Duke Williams is a ball-hawk either (he has 1 INT this season, 1 INT last season, and 2 INT's the year before that). I can't wrap my mind around why in the world that Marrone would take someone like Duke Williams over a known quantity like Shamarko Thomas at the same position. It bothers me.

Not concerned at all with this. Your mistake is assuming a rookie coach knows what it takes for a player to make it in the NFL. He may have argued with team staff for Shamarko, but if he met any resistance he may have relented for political reasons. We really don't know what transpired in the draft room.