Finding Broncos: Drake Thomas | LB | North Carolina State

Measurements

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 228 pounds
Arms: 29-1/8 inches
Hands: 9-3/8 inches

Stats

Pros

Hybrid off-ball and edge.
Works exceptionally well attacking downhill.
Can work in limited zone drops.
Does well to sort through the trash to get to the ball carrier.
Has a good football IQ and quickly diagnoses plays.
Has good instincts, and he trusts them.
Isn't caught out of position often.
Has good anticipation.
Does well in bringing force into his tackling attempts.
Has a decent burst to close on the ball.

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Cons

There is a significant lack of length.
Lack of length shows up during tackle attempts.
Cant constrict throwing lanes with his lack of length.
Struggles to break down blocks or keep blockers hands-off due to length issues.
Takes bad angles and doesn't have recovery burst to make up for mistakes.
Doesn't change direction well.

Overview

Thomas is a straight-line defender that does his best when attacking downhill. His lack of size will keep him from being an ideal edge defender, but there are limitations in coverage. He will be hard to place in the NFL, but he offers great special teams potential, where he started early in college.

Fit with Broncos

Vance Joseph comes with aggressive defense, and while Thomas doesn't fit as a traditional linebacker, he can work as a hybrid. Joseph likes to disguise who is coming after the quarterback, and Thomas provides enough versatility there.

Thomas is also a fit with the special teams, where the Broncos look to improve significantly. They were one of the worst units last year, and coaching was an issue, but so were the players. In college, Thomas was a reliable and consistent special teams player, and that is probably where he will stick on a roster in the NFL.

Grade: Undrafted

Projecting Draft Slot: Round 7/Undrafted

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