The Bobcat Nation

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/w ... index.html

Best Joey quote: "All these [cornerbacks] have strengths, all do something well," says Thomas. "But none of them are me. What do they want, a Mini-Me or the real thing? Do you want a 5-10 guy covering Randy Moss, or do you want me?



Also, another article by the same guy...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/w ... index.html

It's articles like these that sure make a lot of Thomas bashers look really foolish -- especially those in the UM radio booth. Well, he makes himself look foolish, so this is just gravy.

It sounds like Joey just continues to impress with each outing. I hope he can stay healthy and enjoy a great NFL career. I also wish they would quit talking about Washington. He's 100% MSU from start to finish -- a couple days of practice doesn't really count.

It will certainly be interesting to see where Joey goes in the draft. He is correct that he has a lot of upside. If the only drawbacks are that he played at a smaller school and did not see the high quality receivers that D-1A DBs saw, then that really should be a positive overall. He will only get better with experience.

Although I agree that I get tired of hearing about UW and Joey, the part where each article on Joey says that New-weasel told him he couldn't play cornerback is always funny. Didn't Baby Hack also coach the secondary at UW?

espn's mock draft has him going as the 71st overall pick.

Good for Joey! As someone who has known him for the last four years, and spoke to him quite frequently, I would have to say I wish him the best of luck. He is a very driven person. Joey has set goals for himself, and continues to seek them out. I for one, will be anxiously waiting on April 24th for the outcome.

USA Today, today's hardcopy edition, page 11c provides a NFL draft scouting report featuring cornerbacks. There are 9 or 10 prospective draftees mentioned in the article and Joey Thomas was not mentioned at all.

The writer indicates in a "quality meter" insert that this year's cornerback crop rates a 7.5 on a scale of 1-10 and that he projects 4 first-rounders.

It's interesting to me that the Sports Illustrated writer gives Joey major props and the USA Today guy doesn't even mention him. I realize that drafting players into the professional ranks in any sport is an inexact science, but I find it hard to believe the USA Today guy is this far out of touch in not mentioning Joey at all. He did mention DII player Ricardo Colclough so it's not like he entirely ignores the non-DIA players.

My guess is that he didn't do much homework and just used the names of the CBs that the Atlanta Falcons had on their draft board and wrote an article around those names, since the only NFL coach he quotes in his article is Falcons new coach Jim Mora Jr. And it is the USA Today, after all.

I just picked up that USA Today sports section again and realized that my previous post was not completely accurate in regard to Joey not getting any mention.

There is a companion feature article on the same page that features a CB from Virginia Tech and within that article is a box that identifies 5 "cream of the crop" CBs, 1 "rising stock" CB and 1 "sleeper" CB. Joey is the CB identified as the "rising stock" player. The comment made about him is "transferred because of desire to play CB" and that's it. The "sleeper" is a McNeese State CB with the comment "solid cover guy with decent speed".

So, he did in fact get a very brief mention but I still think he deserved more recognition via a mention in the scouting report.

My bad for the inaccurate prior post.

Here's a blurb from ESPN that was posted on Tuesday:

CB Joey Thomas (Montana State)

Vital statistics: 6-feet-0 7/8, 195 pounds, 4.45 in the 40, and 38 ½-inch vertical jump.

Numbers game: Former high school quarterback began career at Washington, and then transferred when coaches wanted him to play tailback or safety. Four-year starter with 42 appearances, 122 tackles, 11 interceptions and 41 passes defensed. In 2003, caught one pass for nine yards.

Upside: Gifted athlete whose best football is ahead of him. Spent virtually his entire college career playing "Cover 1." Can play up at the line of scrimmage, be physical with receivers, but still back off into coverage. Will hand-check and harass receivers all the way up the field. Long arms and can leap out of the building with NBA-caliber vertical jump. Flashes superior pure ability and shows a willingness to be coached.

Downside: Typical smaller-school corner who relies more on athleticism than on solid football techniques. Sloppy footwork at times. A hair slow coming out of backpedal and turn-and-go can get a bit tardy. Plays too high and gets awkward when he has to redirect and work back to the ball. Won't defeat many blocks versus the run. Had knee injury two years ago that cost him much of the season.

The dish: Compelling developmental player who has chance to be a big-time cornerback if some team is patient and works with him on fundamentals. Solidly in the second round.

Life really looks exciting for Mr. Thomas, I wish him best of luck and do us proud. Any chance of him going in the second round?

Everything thing that I have read and heard has Thomas as a near lock for a second round selection, some even saying he has a very slim chance at a late first round look if it is the right team and some other corners have gone early.

Thats great last I had heard was that he was a solid 3rd round pick.

Yeah, awhile back I was hearing that as well. I think that he has really helped himself at the combine as well as at other interviews and workouts, etc. He is definately getting alot more press coverage than Bobcat prospect I ever remember.

Yesterday on ESPN news, Mel Kiper predicted that Joey Thomas or Ricardo Colclough(sp?) would be the 1st non-DI player selected in the draft. Talked about each for awhile.

I was glad to see that Tony Moss has Joey in at the number 2 position (what a coincidence), in his top ten picks of I-AA players in the draft. If you haven't already read the Great Falls Tribune or access to it, check it out online www.greatfallstribune.com. He made the front page of the sports section. On another note, the Griz only made Tony's laundry list. Darn, and I thought the Montana Griz were the best and only notable team in Montana? NOT!

GO CATS!!!

Interesting, maybe he has moved up more than I had thought even as that is the first time I have heard of him even being the first non-DI corner taken much less the first non-DI player. All of the reports I have seen always list the corner from McNeese being taken before Thomas. Regardless of where and when he is taken, it is a huge accomplishment for him and he should be commended. I hope he is able to make the most of the opportunity and truly shine at the next level.

Edit to note I say this in response to the comment from rollo_tumasi, as Tony Moss does list Thomas second only to Smith of McNeese as I had noted.

grizhatr wrote: On another note, the Griz only made Tony's laundry list. Darn, and I thought the Montana Griz were the best and only notable team in Montana? NOT!

Don't think you want to make a comparison of current NFL players do you???

Bozgriz wrote:

grizhatr wrote: On another note, the Griz only made Tony's laundry list. Darn, and I thought the Montana Griz were the best and only notable team in Montana? NOT!

Don't think you want to make a comparison of current NFL players do you???

Don't think you want to make a comparison of NFL hall of famers, do you? Or how about first round picks?

Or maybe the UM hasn't had any of those yet.

yeah, yeah...blah, blah, blah, Ok lets talk all-time stuff...Meet me at the smack board and we can start a thread on this stuff...I'll play!

Bozgriz wrote:yeah, yeah...blah, blah, blah, Ok lets talk all-time stuff...Meet me at the smack board and we can start a thread on this stuff...I'll play!

I though we were talking about draft picks, and NFL alum... wasn't that what you were talking about? If you need to start a new smack post to feel better about your program then feel free. Although if you're going to start a thread on griz accomplishments, you should save your "blah, blah, blah" remark for the title of that thread, then us 'Cat fans will know exactly what it's about.

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Is anyone hoping that Joey goes to any team in particular? I know there are some teams where he could make more of an immediate impact than others, but where would you want to see him if you got to choose? Myself, I am a Lions fan, and even tho we have Casey FitzSimmons from CC at TE, I'm still miffed about them releasing Jon Taylor. Matt Millen could really redeem himself in my eyes by taking Joey with his first round pick. Hehe

GavinDonos wrote:Is anyone hoping that Joey goes to any team in particular? I know there are some teams where he could make more of an immediate impact than others, but where would you want to see him if you got to choose? Myself, I am a Lions fan, and even tho we have Casey FitzSimmons from CC at TE, I'm still miffed about them releasing Jon Taylor. Matt Millen could really redeem himself in my eyes by taking Joey with his first round pick. Hehe

I hope he goes to the Lions as well!

I'm a Packer fan. A few more defensive holding penalties against the Lions would be nice! Anyway, I'd like to see Joey's eyes when he See's Bret Farve under center looking his way!