Earl Thomas is overated

[ubecool454]

I know I'll get jumped on for this one but it's just the way I feel. I've watched Earl Thomas very closely and it seems that the "ballhawking" FS seems to get most of his interceptions of of tipped balls. Now I'm not taking anything away from him and I hope he does well in the NFL but I'm glad we didn't get a chance to take him because I have a funny feeling about him. I know the Longhorn koolaid drinkers will be all over me for this but I think Jordan Shipley will do better than Lil earl.

[Brisco_County]

I watched him at Royal Stadium for the Colorado game. Watch how he anticipates this route and makes a pick 6: Link

There was smoke coming from his heals on that run. Half the Colorado team was already near the sideline, and he burned right past him. He had a few more big plays that game, too.

His atheleticism is amazing. Definite 1st round value.

[JB]

Originally Posted by ubecool454

I know I'll get jumped on for this one but it's just the way I feel. I've watched Earl Thomas very closely and it seems that the "ballhawking" FS seems to get most of his interceptions of of tipped balls. Now I'm not taking anything away from him and I hope he does well in the NFL but I'm glad we didn't get a chance to take him because I have a funny feeling about him. I know the Longhorn koolaid drinkers will be all over me for this but I think Jordan Shipley will do better than Lil earl.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. It's one most pro scouts don't share. Maybe you should watch more film

[Texan_Bill]

Originally Posted by JB

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. It's one most pro scouts don't share. Maybe you should watch more film

Right!! And while I'm known as an anti-longhorn, I certainly would've loved for Earl Thomas to fall in our laps... Dude can play safety or corner...

It's all about the team, not the school, or individual..

[JB]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

Right!! And while I'm known as an anti-longhorn, I certainly would've loved for Earl Thomas to fall in our laps... Dude can play safety or corner...

It's all about the team, not the school, or individual..

Damn, you must be drunker than I thought!






Earl was a consensus top 20 pick and if we could have gotten Thomas/Tate that would have been perfect. Jackson/Tate is 3rd best. Haden/Tate would have been 2nd best...JMO

[stingray]

Originally Posted by JB

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. It's one most pro scouts don't share. Maybe you should watch more film

Does anyone remember how high William Moore's stock was after the 2008 season? And how high was Taylor Mays stock after last year? They were both top ten picks. WilliaM Moore had eight picks after his junior season just like Thomas. But both of theirs stocks plummeted when they stayed for their lackluster senior season.

After everything is said and done, Earl Thomas only had one good season. He came out after the right season. He did have two dominanting D-lineman creating havoc in the backfiled, in Lamarr Houston and Sergio Kindle just like Taylor mays had a year ago with the three outstanding LB's. I wonder how good Earl would be next year without these two? We will never know.

But we will know how good Earl will be in Seattle in a couple seasons.

[Historyhorn]

Originally Posted by ubecool454

I know I'll get jumped on for this one but it's just the way I feel. I've watched Earl Thomas very closely and it seems that the "ballhawking" FS seems to get most of his interceptions of of tipped balls. Now I'm not taking anything away from him and I hope he does well in the NFL but I'm glad we didn't get a chance to take him because I have a funny feeling about him. I know the Longhorn koolaid drinkers will be all over me for this but I think Jordan Shipley will do better than Lil earl.

How many of his picks came off of tips this last year? Just curious.

Go Texans

[SteveSlaton20]

nah, earl is legit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRrjr...layer_embedded

im glad we didnt get taylor mays tho, the guy is terrible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFa4a...layer_embedded

[Carr Bombed]

Originally Posted by ubecool454

I know I'll get jumped on for this one but it's just the way I feel. I've watched Earl Thomas very closely and it seems that the "ballhawking" FS seems to get most of his interceptions of of tipped balls. Now I'm not taking anything away from him and I hope he does well in the NFL but I'm glad we didn't get a chance to take him because I have a funny feeling about him. I know the Longhorn koolaid drinkers will be all over me for this but I think Jordan Shipley will do better than Lil earl.

Usually when you start a post with "I know I'll get jumped on for this one"...it's not a very well thought out post.

Earl Thomas is a beast and a absolute ball hawk, I would've loved to have the opportunity to draft him, he isn't overrated at all and I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up being better than Eric Berry.

[Carr Bombed]

Originally Posted by stingray

Does anyone remember how high William Moore's stock was after the 2008 season? And how high was Taylor Mays stock after last year? They were both top ten picks. WilliaM Moore had eight picks after his junior season just like Thomas. But both of theirs stocks plummeted when they stayed for their lackluster senior season.

After everything is said and done, Earl Thomas only had one good season. He came out after the right season. He did have two dominanting D-lineman creating havoc in the backfiled, in Lamarr Houston and Sergio Kindle just like Taylor mays had a year ago with the three outstanding LB's. I wonder how good Earl would be next year without these two? We will never know.

But we will know how good Earl will be in Seattle in a couple seasons.

Brian Orakpo was a much more devastating pass rusher than either of the guys you mentioned above and Earl seemed to do quite fine without him. I don't really understand your comparison to Taylor Mays...Taylor Mays isn't even a NFL FS (William Moore also isn't a prototypical NFL FS), much less does he have skills to play corner. Earl was a young player who came into his own as a second year starter.....something tells me that given Texas' background with producing quality DBs, Thomas is going to be quite fine.

[stingray]

Originally Posted by Carr Bombed

Brian Orakpo was a much more devastating pass rusher than either of the guys you mentioned above and Earl seemed to do quite fine without him. I don't really understand your comparison to Taylor Mays...Taylor Mays isn't even a NFL FS (William Moore also isn't a prototypical NFL FS), much less does he have skills to play corner. Earl was a young player who came into his own as a second year starter.....something tells me that given Texas' background with producing quality DBs, Thomas is going to be quite fine.

That's my whole point. I'm not comparing styles here. I'm comparing draft status after good seasons at the safety position. Everybody was drooling over William Moore two years ago on this very board, same thing with Taylor Mays. I guarantee you that both would have been top 15 picks if they came out after their junior season. I'm not saying that Earl will be a bust, I am only saying that he has a very limited resume. Great but limited. Many experts said that he was just as good or better than Eric Berry. But Earl went eight picks later because Berry had a longer and more polished carrer.

And here is one thread that was all over Taylors nuts just last year. He lost a lot of money by not coming out last year.

http://www.texanstalk.com/forums/sho...ht=taylor+mays

[threetoedpete]

I believe Chris Johnson has everyone believing that the NFL trend is to get faster and lighter at Safety. Johnson creates huge match up problems. The old in the box safety of the eighties and nineties is becoming at the very least, out of vogue.The old theory was to mash the line with a big safety, eight and nine in the box, on first and second down. Make the other team throw the ball on third and long. You know what they are going to do there fore you have a chance to defend it. Send in the nickle or dime according to down and distance.

Now, JMHO, it's to counter being stretched by the offense side line to side line and vertical to set up bad match ups with slow LBS and the old in the box will backer sized safety by the offense. Earl Thomas is the face of the future and coveted by the NFL. Fast instinctive and can cover anyone, including Johnson in the slot. Same is not true with slow hipped Taylor Mays. He is not instinctive. He can not cover anyone in the slot. On third and long he will be the match up target the OC's are going for. Taylor Mays was a bullet dodged. I also believe if this is true, the Texans theory of inter changeable safeties is now DOA. The sooner the Texans adapt, the better. Aggies hate change. We'll see.

[76Texan]

I would play Mays at SS; I like him but he's not a good match for the Texans.

Thomas is good but yeah, quite a few of his INTs were gimme type, at least 4 of them. Texas ranked 2nd in sacked and 8th in TFL. Much better than Alabama and Florida.

His worst game probably was the Aggies game. Put that tape on and then the Red Raiders' and he will show you plenty of red flags.

Thomas at #15 to #20 makes sense 'cause he is an underclassman and thus has a high ceiling; obviously his skills are advanced beyond his age.
The mistakes he made likely can be corrected.

Still, I'm very glad the Texans took Jackson now that I have had the chance to scrutinize his tapes all over again. I would take Jackson because CB is our top need.

[MojoMan]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

Right!! And while I'm known as an anti-longhorn, I certainly would've loved for Earl Thomas to fall in our laps... Dude can play safety or corner...

It's all about the team, not the school, or individual..

If we could just get Showtime to weigh in on this thread, he would straighten you out on the wavering of your anti-longhorn zeal.

In all my years I have never encountered anyone who was more adamantly anti-longhorn than he is.

And for no good reason, I might add!

[TexCanada]

It is difficult to rate any players who have never played a down of NFL football in their lives. Everyone knows that the draft is a crapshoot, some players simply don't develop into good pro players while others don't even get drafted and end up having great careers.

[JB]

Originally Posted by TexCanada

It is difficult to rate any players who have never played a down of NFL football in their lives. Everyone knows that the draft is a crapshoot, some players simply don't develop into good pro players while others don't even get drafted and end up having great careers.

Signed UDFA & HOFer John Randall

[bah007]

Originally Posted by stingray

Does anyone remember how high William Moore's stock was after the 2008 season? And how high was Taylor Mays stock after last year? They were both top ten picks. WilliaM Moore had eight picks after his junior season just like Thomas. But both of theirs stocks plummeted when they stayed for their lackluster senior season.

After everything is said and done, Earl Thomas only had one good season. He came out after the right season. He did have two dominanting D-lineman creating havoc in the backfiled, in Lamarr Houston and Sergio Kindle just like Taylor mays had a year ago with the three outstanding LB's. I wonder how good Earl would be next year without these two? We will never know.

But we will know how good Earl will be in Seattle in a couple seasons.

Thomas was a Freshman All American and first team all conference his first year and he was a consensus First Team All American and first team all conference his second year. Sounds like he was pretty darn good both years he played in college.

Is the guy a perfect prospect? No. He has a smaller frame and sometimes he uses his arms instead of his body when tackling. But how many guys have the athleticism to play CB and FS plus do well enough against the run to stay on the field in running situations?

Most people here know I am a Texas fan so sure I'm a little biased but this guy sure seems like he is going to be special.

[Mr teX]

I don't think he'll be nearly the playmaker everyone thinks he will be at FS or cb, whichever he winds up playing. To me, "instincts" the thing that everyone says separates him from all the others, is just another term for "jumping routes" b/c he's seen it on film a few times.

Well, you can get away with that 90% of the time in college when the team you play on has the best athletes on the field 9 out of 10 times & the qb's you face aren't nearly as polished as pro qb's in keeping their heads & eyes straight ahead until it's time to throw.

I remember everyone was saying alot of the same things about Huff when he came out. years later the dude can barely keep his starting spot.

Case & point, if he's not back there racking up int's, then he's just an undersized, mediocore guy at best back there.

[WolverineFan]

Originally Posted by Mr teX

I don't think he'll be nearly the playmaker everyone thinks he will be at FS or cb, whichever he winds up playing. To me, "instincts" the thing that everyone says separates him from all the others, is just another term for "jumping routes" b/c he's seen it on film a few times.

Well, you can get away with that 90% of the time in college when the team you play on has the best athletes on the field 9 out of 10 times & the qb's you face aren't nearly as polished as pro qb's in keeping their heads & eyes straight ahead until it's time to throw.

I remember everyone was saying alot of the same things about Huff when he came out. years later the dude can barely keep his starting spot.

Case & point, if he's not back there racking up int's, then he's just an undersized, mediocore guy at best back there.

Huff was a FS that got miscast as a SS in Oakland's defense. Sure he didn't play up to expectations but near the end of his Oakland tenure he had become a decent player. We all know Earl can play FS and will be a ballhawk. There's no debating that fact.

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by WolverineFan

Huff was a FS that got miscast as a SS in Oakland's defense. Sure he didn't play up to expectations but near the end of his Oakland tenure he had become a decent player. We all know Earl can play FS and will be a ballhawk. There's no debating that fact.

Suh was the only player considered to be a l"can't miss" prospect. As for the others, we don't know anything about them until they step on the field in the NFL..

& am i missing something..i thought he still played for the raiders... Anyway,

For the 1st couple of years he played SS...then he was switched back to FS in 2008, didn't improve & later got benched. Then after that, there were rumors of him being on the trading block.

hey, for what it's worth, It is the raiders & you're hard pressed to be a standout out there with skeletor running the team into the ground but still...Thomas, is experiencing the same acclaim that Huff recieved & i doubt he'll live up to that billing considering he's less of a prospect than huff was coming out & the increase in competition he's about to see.

but i could be wrong...