The 2018 NFL draft looks like it’s going to be a stacked one at the running back position. Is Roc Thomas part of that stellar group?
Position: RB
School: Jacksonville State
Year: Senior
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 194 lbs
STRENGTHS:
- A natural athlete in space. Runs with a good flow and fluidity, showcasing a nasty jump cut ability that can often make defenders look foolish.
- Tremendous vision. Can see the holes develop and making a snap-quick decision on where they’ll be when he hits the contact point.
- Good speed and acceleration. Consistently able to fit through the small creases before they’re closed to reach the second level.
- Demonstrates solid pass catching ability. Doesn’t let the ball into his body, using proper hand technique. No bobbling on most of his receptions.
Creative offensive coordinators are going to love Thomas. He didn’t catch a lot of passes in college but he tended to do big things when he did. This screen pass demonstrates that promise. He catches the pass solidly with his hands and doesn’t hesitate to turn it upfield. He weaves through the traffic, showing vision in following the blocks and then when there’s nowhere to go he becomes an athlete with an excellent spin move to shake a tackle.
- Stronger than he gets credit for. He’s not a power runner but he has shown the lower body strength to carry defenders for extra yardage.
- Got a lot of bang for his buck at JSU with 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns on just 178 rushing attempts in 12 games.
- Highly proficient in the run-pass option style offense. Does a lot of his damage running out of the shotgun formation, increasing his value.
- Has that never-die-easy running style that coaches are going to love. Makes the defenders earn it before going to the ground.
WEAKNESSES:
- Might need to pack on a couple pounds. His body would be considered somewhat on the thinner side at the NFL level. His injury issues offer evidence of this.
- Failed to make headway in a crowded backfield at Auburn so he transferred out. Unproven at this stage against the top level competition.
- Didn’t have to work too hard for a lot of his production. Got good blocking from his offensive line most of the past season.
- Not a true home run hitter. He can pop the long run from time to time but he won’t be the guy that houses it against NFL defenses.
Pro Comparison: Terrell Davis
Davis and Thomas share a lot of things in common. They dealt with injury problems in college and struggled to keep the starting job at their respective SEC schools. Each also wasn’t known for great speed but just seemed to have a knack for finding the holes and gashing defenses over and over in games. The injury problems are also something that can’t be ignored. Davis became a Hall of Famer, but that was due in large part to landing in the perfect system for him.
Projection: 5th Round
It will be the same for Thomas. He’s got some intriguing ability that can turn into something special, but this is not a running back that’s made for any system. He has to find one that caters well to his specific skill. If they can get him behind a good offensive line and utilize his underrated pass catching talent, teams will see what he can do.