TE — Ian Thomas 6.65
Scout- Jason Feiner
College: Indiana
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 248 lbs
40-Time: 4.74
Bench Press: N/A
Athleticism
Q.A.B. 7.00 Thomas has a great combination of size, strength and athleticism. He possesses quick feet and excellent body control with the ability to gain separation from defenders out of his breaks.
Flexibility 7.00 Thomas has natural flexibility. He keeps his knees bent and his pad level low in contact. He can lose leverage while blocking and will need to maintain better pad level and a wider base in the run game.
C.O.D. 6.50 He has the ability to plant his foot and drive toward the football or change direction. He loves contact and would rather look for a defender rather than avoiding them in the open field.
Explosion 6.50 He is a very smooth athlete, but Thomas lacks elite explosion. He has a good release from the line but he doesn’t show the necessary burst other receivers and tight ends possess. He is missing aggression in the blocking game, and doesn’t explode through contact.
Deep Speed 6.00 Thomas possesses good game speed, and can pressure the seem on deep throws. He often gets caught from behind and his 4.74 40 time was very surprising. He has the talent to challenge teams deep and can gain separation in all three levels.
Receiving Skills
Quicks Off LOS 7.00 Thomas has a very smooth release. He utilizes a quick first step and can run past coverage gaining separation near the line of scrimmage.
Route Running 6.50 He will need to learn a full route tree as he only was required to run a handful of routes, none very complex. Thomas often counts his steps, giving away his intentions in the process. He also needs to work on breaking down and lowering his hips in his routes, as he rounds his breaks, draws the defender in, and creates opportunities for the defense to play the ball in the air.
Separation 6.50 He has the ability to gain separation in all three levels of the defense. He is a smooth route runner who possesses the ability to change directions with ease. Thomas can shield the defenders utilizing his size.
Hands 6.50 He has good hands, but he tends to fight the ball and double catch the ball.
Yards After Contact 7.50 Thomas is a physical player that loves punishing opposing players. He will fight for every inch and utilizes a powerful stiff arm to stay on his feet and gain extra yards. Possessing a strong build and powerful lower body, Thomas can power through arm tackles and smaller defenders with ease.
Ball Security 7.50 Thomas has good ball security, but he tends to hold the ball losely in one arm when running in the open field. He raps it tighter in contact.
Blocking
In-Line Runs 6.50 As the season progressed he got more opportunities to work as an in-line blocker, gaining experience and technique in the run game. He didn’t have too many opportunities before this past season to work as an in-line blocker.
Motion Runs 6.00 He doesn’t possess effort or aggression in motion blocks. He has gained better technique, but he doesn’t show a necessary drive to control the point of attack against defenders coming from motion.
Blocking In Space 7.00 He is a dominant blocker in space and can control a defender from the slot. He utilizes his strength and size to dominate smaller defensive backs and can keep bigger defenders from disrupting the play.
Pass Blocking 4.00 Thomas has never had a chance to pass block, as he is a pass catching weapon in Indiana’s offensive system.
Situational Awareness 6.00 Thomas displays good instincts and can occupy defenders utilizing his body, strength and athleticism. He knows who to block and where to go, but his hand placement is sub-par. He will need to continue to improve as a blocker to be used as an every down TE.
Competitiveness
Toughness 7.00 Thomas is a tough and physical player, who lives for physical contact. He is a big-bodied athletic player with a limited injury history.
Production 5.50 Thomas was extremely productive as a college athlete, as he was rated as the second best junior college TE nationally. When he transferred to Indiana, Thomas played very sparingly in his junior season, and became the Hoosiers breakout star this past season. Although he had a great senior season, he only collected 25 receptions throughout the year.
Consistency/Motor 8.00 Thomas is a very consistent player who works hard on each snap. He keeps to himself and is a focused athlete. He loves football and works hard on each play never taking a snap off. He is a willing blocker and plays to the best of his ability in each opportunity.
Intelligence
Instincts 7.50 He has good instincts and field awareness. Thomas can find holes in the defense and sit for the ball and find defenders in space to block them effectively.
Learn/Retain 6.50 He is a smart player, but he runs a limited route tree and none of his routes were complex. He will need to take time to learn an NFL offense.
Versatility 7.00 Thomas has the versatility to play all over the field as a three down TE. Thomas can play in the slot and outside. He has the ability to be effective in the run game.
Strengths
He possesses quick feet and excellent body control with the ability to gain separation from defenders out of his breaks. The Hoosier has a smooth release, utilizing a quick and decisive step without wasted motion. Although he recorded a surprising 4.74 40 time at the Combine, Thomas displays deceptive deep speed with the ability to threaten seams and downfield. The athletic prospect plays faster than his numbers suggest, and his quickness allows him to gain separation in all three levels of the defense. Thomas is a physical player that loves punishing opposing players. He will fight for every inch and utilizes a powerful stiff arm to stay on his feet and gain extra yards. Possessing a strong build and powerful lower body, Thomas can power through arm tackles and smaller defenders with ease. As the season progressed he got more opportunities to work as an in-line blocker, gaining experience and technique in the run game. He is a willing blocker in space and will be efficient when blocking on the outside in the slot.
Weaknesses
He lacks the aggression to consistently dominate a defender. A versatile athlete with speed and power will blow by the inexperienced tight end as if he were a practice dummy. He utilizes good initial leverage but tends to misplace his hands, causing him to slip and lose ground in the run game. Thomas is an inexperienced prospect that will need time to grow as a football player. He is a raw athlete with potential to succeed at the next level. He will need to learn a full route tree as he only was required to run a handful of routes, none very complex. He needs to work on breaking down and lowering his hips in his routes, as he rounds his breaks, draws the defender in, and creates opportunities for the defense to play the ball in the air. Thomas possesses good hands but he fights the ball, leading to drops.
Big Picture
With the talent Thomas possesses he has the potential to be a star at the next level. He is a raw athlete and will need to adjust his technique in the run game and in route running. He has a long way to go and will need time to learn an NFL playbook to improve his overall knowledge of the game, but he has the tools required at his disposal. Thomas is an intriguing prospect who will certainly get drafted earlier than later. He has prototypical size and an excellent combination of strength power and size, and Thomas has the talent to be a three down TE in his career with pro-bowl potential down the line.
