FILM STUDY: THE INCREDIBLE HANDS OF MICHAEL THOMAS
Although Baylor's Corey Coleman, TCU's Josh Doctson and other have put up cosmic receiving statistics this fall, Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas is the one ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has atop his list of the top NFL prospects at the position. This isn't news to most Buckeye fans, given that those rankings were on a constant scroll beneath Saturday's 28-3 win over Illinois, yet the reason for his lofty spot may not be apparent to all.
Listed at 6'3" and 210 lbs, the redshirt Junior from Los Angeles appears to have the requisite size for a 'prototype' wide receiver in the NFL, comparing favorably to players like Julio Jones or A.J. Green. Yet Thomas lacks the pure, freakish athleticism both players showed at this point in their college careers. While he has shown the ability to go up and get jump-balls and still get a toe inbounds, he doesn't offer the same threat as the others to blow by defenders with ease.
Though it's often mentioned by evaluators as a skill for players like Thomas, 'Route-running' is a difficult trait to master, especially since it requires different things depending on where a player lines up. Tight ends like Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski often get open by using their superior athleticism to simply out-run bigger defenders while using their size to shield smaller ones. Slot receivers are rarely jammed at the line, and use their quickness to create separation before recognizing soft spots in zone coverage.
But for outside receivers like Thomas, they're often greeted on the line by a jam of some sort, and then shadowed by a player with equal or greater athleticism. When a player with top-end speed or acceleration like fellow Buckeyes Jalin Marshall or Braxton Miller moves to that spot, fans immediately get excited by the prospect of having a clear advantage in either department on the outside, simply awaiting for deep balls to rain from the sky.
Yet getting open takes more than running whatever route is drawn on the sheet in the playbook. Instead, Thomas stands out to evaluators because of the little things he does that are often done away from the focal point of TV cameras, namely what he does with his hands. Yes, the most important thing a receiver does with his hands is catch the ball, but in order to have it thrown his way, he must first use those same appendages to get open.
On Ohio State's second possession against the Illini, Thomas use those hands multiple times to pick up two big gains and a touchdown. To bring in the first, Thomas drives immediately upfield before breaking inside on a post.
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