WR Michael "Cantguardmike" Thomas (B1G Champion, National Champion, Pro Bowl, All-Pro, 2019 OPOY)

[ScriptOhio]

SKULL SESSION: OHIO STATE'S EARLY SEASON DOMINANCE, CHASE YOUNG COMPARED TO THE BOSA BROTHERS, AND MICHIGAN STATE'S OFFENSIVE LINE INJURIES

MICHAEL THOMAS GIVES BACK. Michael Thomas is a legit super star, the richest receiver in the NFL and perhaps a future hall of famer, but none of that exempts him from taking care of his community.



I've got nothing but respect for guys who take ownership of their community and try to make a difference. Life's bigger than football.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...gan-state-offensive-line-injury-true-freshman

 

[ScriptOhio]

 

[BUCK3YE5]

First ballot Hall of Famer.

 

[RB07OSU]

That performance saved my ass in both fantasy leagues this week, that's why you draft Buckeyes! Hell of a game for Mike.

 

[Dryden]

 

[Dryden]

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Could very well end up supplanting Jerry Rice as the GOAT...

 

[Jagdaddy]

Could very well end up supplanting Jerry Rice as the GOAT...

The game's changed so much that it's hard to compare apples to apples, but I think that's unlikely, mainly because, based on Thomas' results thus far, Rice was a bigger play receiver.

Rice's basic career #s (303(!) games over 20 seasons): 1,549 catches (5.1 CPG); 22,895 yards (75.6 YPG), 14.8 YPC, and 197 TDs (.65 PG). Also, 13 pro bowls, 10 all pro selections, and 3 Superbowl rings

Thomas' projected numbers (based on his current pace after 54 games) if he plays 303(!) games: 2,149 catches (7.1 CPG), 25,531 yards, (84.2 YPG), 11.9 YPC, and 146 TDs (.48 PG).

Rice through 60 games (first 4 seasons of his career): 264 catches, (4.4 CPG), 4,881 yards (81.35 YPG), 18.5(!) YPC, and 49 TDs (.82 PG). If he'd sustained that pace over his entire career, he'd have finished with 1,333 catches, 24,649 yards, and 247 TDs.

Through roughly the point in his career where Thomas is now, Rice was much more of a big play receiver than Thomas but didn't catch nearly as many balls. Whether Thomas is actually less capable of big plays or simply is in a different kind of system playing a different kind of game is hard to say, although like Babe Ruth saying he could have hit .600 if he just went for singles, I suspect Rice could have made a lot more short catches (and did as his career progressed).

So, Thomas is on pace (although I think it's unlikely that he'll actually sustain his current pace over another 249(!) games: Rice's statistics markedly declined after his 11th season) to surpass Rice by quite a bit in catches, catches per game, receiving yards, and receiving yards per game. But Rice averaged 2.9 YPC more than Thomas does, and cashed in TDs at a considerably higher rate.

I will say that based on his extreme level of professionalism and drive, major advances in sports performance, nutrition, etc.science, and rule changes that favor offense and player safety, Thomas stands a pretty good chance of performing at a very high level for a very long time. That said, as incredible as the early part of Thomas' career has been, let's wait another 8-10 years before we start comparing him to Jerry Rice.

 

[Dryden]

Jerry was blessed to have two HoF QBs in Joe Montana and Steve Young, and always had other perennial pro bowlers at other skill positions that allowed him to work: Dwight Clark, Roger Craig, Brent Jones, John Taylor, Ricky Watters, Garrison Hearst, Terrelle Owens... I’m still probably forgetting five or six guys too. 49ers were just so stupid loaded every year I think they only missed the playoffs once in Jerry’s entire time there, or at least up until Young retired and Garcia took the reins.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

The game's changed so much that it's hard to compare apples to apples, but I think that's unlikely, mainly because, based on Thomas' results thus far, Rice was a bigger play receiver.

Rice's basic career #s (303(!) games over 20 seasons): 1,549 catches (5.1 CPG); 22,895 yards (75.6 YPG), 14.8 YPC, and 197 TDs (.65 PG). Also, 13 pro bowls, 10 all pro selections, and 3 Superbowl rings

Thomas' projected numbers (based on his current pace after 54 games) if he plays 303(!) games: 2,149 catches (7.1 CPG), 25,531 yards, (84.2 YPG), 11.9 YPC, and 146 TDs (.48 PG).

Rice through 60 games (first 4 seasons of his career): 264 catches, (4.4 CPG), 4,881 yards (81.35 YPG), 18.5(!) YPC, and 49 TDs (.82 PG). If he'd sustained that pace over his entire career, he'd have finished with 1,333 catches, 24,649 yards, and 247 TDs.

Through roughly the point in his career where Thomas is now, Rice was much more of a big play receiver than Thomas but didn't catch nearly as many balls. Whether Thomas is actually less capable of big plays or simply is in a different kind of system playing a different kind of game is hard to say, although like Babe Ruth saying he could have hit .600 if he just went for singles, I suspect Rice could have made a lot more short catches (and did as his career progressed).

So, Thomas is on pace (although I think it's unlikely that he'll actually sustain his current pace over another 249(!) games: Rice's statistics markedly declined after his 11th season) to surpass Rice by quite a bit in catches, catches per game, receiving yards, and receiving yards per game. But Rice averaged 2.9 YPC more than Thomas does, and cashed in TDs at a considerably higher rate.

I will say that based on his extreme level of professionalism and drive, major advances in sports performance, nutrition, etc.science, and rule changes that favor offense and player safety, Thomas stands a pretty good chance of performing at a very high level for a very long time. That said, as incredible as the early part of Thomas' career has been, let's wait another 8-10 years before we start comparing him to Jerry Rice.

To tack onto just how much the game has changed.....when Art Monk retired 24 years ago, he was the all time receptions leader. He is now 20th. And he’s the only one in the top 29 that didn’t play at least one season in the 2000’s. Steve Largent, who retired in 1989 as the all time leader is now 30th and has fewer catches than Larry Centers. Larry Centers. lol

 

[Dryden]

 

[Buckeye1]

That’s absurd; Go Bucks!

 

[ScriptOhio]

 

[LordJeffBuck]

 

[charlohiottean]

Only 8 TDs for the whole year???

You hate to see that