I’m not one of those that can process a great deal of advance-year scouting until after the current draft season is wrapped up. I find it intellectually and professionally dishonest to spare attention from the existing draft and focus ahead. Sure I have players I have some feelings and initial impressions about, but if you asked me to do a thorough and proper scouting evaluation for 2013 players right now, you’re asking the wrong guy.
But I’m starting to watch some film on some players and teams right now, after the 2012 draft is completely out of my system. Here are some preliminary thoughts on a few:
Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech–this is one impressive physical specimen. I’ve watched the Clemson, Virginia, and Wake Forest games so far and Thomas has been the best athlete on the field regardless of position in every game. He has a very easy, natural throwing motion with a very high release point even for a taller QB. Thomas gets good velocity with minimal effort thanks to what look like huge hands and very strong wrists. I liken it to basketball players that can shoot with the same form from the free throw line and from 25 feet thanks to wrist strength and balanced, powerful knees and feet; Thomas has that ability as a thrower. There is a very innate feel for touch and pace on the ball, from short crosses to deep outside passes. He throws on the move very naturally and accurately, in fact probably with better pinpoint accuracy than in the pocket. He is definitely better at processing the defense while on the move.
And that is my primary criticism of Thomas at this point–he seems too uncomfortable when playing to the structure of the offense. To go basketball again, if Peyton Manning is John Stockton running a precise offense with perfectly engineered spacing and timing, Logan Thomas is Allen Iverson freelancing and creating on his own terms. Sometimes he gets lucky and creates true magic, other times it looks chaotic and results in too many positive plays left on the field. There were a couple of plays in the Wake game where Thomas opted to try and extend a play rather than take an easy short completion. On one he got absolutely smacked for a big loss, and another he twice ignored open receivers in the flat to try and force a ball over the deep middle into coverage while moving out. One of the reasons Cam Newton thrived as a rookie was that he inherently understood how and when to take what the defense gave him after struggling with that early. Michael Vick achieved his best results in the same manner. RG3 elevated himself from mid-round intriguing athlete to #2 overall pick because he improved his ability to stick to the script without sacrificing his dynamic creativity. Thomas desperately needs to get yoked in and not try to hit the big play on every play. If he can show progress there in 2012, I have little doubt he is going to be the #1 pick in the 2013 NFL draft. Read the rest of this entry » «Early 2013 Impressions»





















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