Noah Thomas NFL Draft Scouting Report
Noah Thomas, WR, Georgia
Size:
Height: 6’6” | Weight: 200 lbs
Accomplishments:
Four-star recruit
“Noah Thomas is a nuanced stem receiver who uses manipulation, timing, and length to put his stamp on a football game.”
Strengths:
Stem manipulation
Speed dilation
Reading body language
Hand timing/usage at the catch point
Tracking
Concerns:
Burst
Physicality through the route
Zone recognition
Frame
Film Analysis:
Noah Thomas is a big-bodied receiver who is asked to line up inside and outside for Texas A&M. His size and length make him a difficult matchup no matter where he is on the field. Pairing that with his nuanced approach to football makes him feel like he’s playing a game of chess every time he steps on the field—he’s always looking to outsmart the defender. Attacking the intermediate parts of the field fits his skill set beautifully and his ball tracking makes him a useful end-zone target.
His footwork and release packages open defenders' hips, allowing him to read body language and make decisions to get open. He plays with speed in his stem manipulation, forcing defenders to anticipate where Thomas is going. He does a solid job of selling routes vertically and sinking his hips at 6-foot-6 to get in and out of breaks to create separation. At the catch point, he has patient and late hands that fool defenders and give him the edge. On top of that, he displays good body control in the air to make adjustments to off-target throws.
Speed is a limiting factor to Thomas’ winning ability. He doesn’t play with the burst to threaten defenders deep, which limits his options against close coverage. His deep speed is average at best. For all the size he has, his frame is slight and contact throughout the route and at the catch point throws off his timing and he lacks the hand usage and play strength to play through it. One way he can improve his production beyond his physical tools is quicker zone recognition to sit down in soft spots instead of running through the entire route into coverage.
In conclusion, Thomas is a talented space manipulator who offers size and ball-tracking skills to reel in end zone targets and make a quarterback right even when he’s slightly off. He needs to add play strength and quicker zone recognition to contribute more as an NFL wide receiver.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Written By: Daniel Harms
