Phins Rock wrote:
Plus, if you add in Berry's playmaking ability all over the field, and the versatility he provides as far as being able to play near the box and play the run, (something we NEED our FS to be able to do), and the lack of ability that Thomas has from that standpoint....The difference between them becomes even larger, especially for a 34 team like Miami.
Berry is the truth. Thomas is a very good player, but does not fit our defense, IMO, and is not nearly the playmaker that Berry is.
Don't get me wrong, I do like Thomas. He's an extremely good character guy with a great work ethic and all that. But Berry is a once in a decade type of prospect at Safety. I know many would disagree, but I really think Berry is the next Polamalu.
Berry 2009 - 83 Tackles, 7 PD, 1 FF, 2 Ints, 1 TD
Thomas 2009 - 63 Tackles, 16 PD, 1 FF, 8 Ints, 2 TDs
I'll agree Berry is a stud, but I have yet to see any part of Thomas' game that is weak.
Here is one scouting report on him:
Quote:
He's one of the most physical Safeties in the draft, and has no qualms about sacrificing his body for a play. Some think that he's better suited to play a very physical CB in the NFL, to maximize his coverage skills, and try and keep his body intact.
But he's got great strength both in coverage and in run support, he runs very well, is a great leaper, and has soft hands. He can blitz when asked to, and literally anchors the back 4 of the Longhorn defense.
Reminds me of: Troy Polamalu, S Pittsburgh Steelers-Both a little undersized, super aggressive, and able to do anything on the football field. Thomas can certainly grow into the kind of impact player Polamalu is, given the right scheme and coaching. All the physical tools are there.
http://draftboardinsider.com/cgi-bin/prospect.cgi?id=1089Here is another:
Quote:
...he is not a weak player. He has good coverage skills and a ton of speed, so he could be converted into a corner. However, he has enough strength to play strong safety in most systems...
http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/profile_display.cfm?prospect_id=2100These were just the first two I came across. I'm telling you, Phinsy, he's going to be a star. PS, Troy Polamalu 5'10 207...