The Seattle Seahawks invited Oregon State defensive back Skyler Thomas for another visit. It is his second visit with the team. The Seahawks focused their draft research on positions of need. Throughout the offseason, defensive back draft prospects came to Seattle for workouts.
Thomas played at safety for Oregon State, where he started for two seasons. In those two years, he totaled 159 tackles, two interceptions, and 13 pass deflections over 24 games started.
For the Seahawks, to invite a player twice throughout the pre draft process indicates real interest in the player. Given Thomas is a local talent, he does not count against the top 30 visit total for Seattle.
Thomas also participated in the Senior Bowl, a place where the Seahawks love to find talent. Many of the Seahawks picks and undrafted free agents are players who shined at the Senior Bowl.
Skyler Thomas Draft Profile
GettySkyler Thomas projects to be a day three pick in the NFL Draft.
Currently, NFL Mock Draft Database projects Thomas as a undrafted free agent. However, Dan Burgler of The Athletic grades him as a seventh round pick. Burgler notes how Thomas is a physical player with some developable traits among some strong weaknesses.
Burgler said, “Thomas is a long, competitive athlete and has a well-rounded skill set. He is a physical run defender and is comfortable working from the box, where he plays through blocks and closes on the ball. He looks to punish as a tackler, rather than using sound tactics to finish. In coverage, he needs to do a better job with his spacing relationships but has a cornerback background and can match up with size down the seam, especially from zone. NFL scouts can’t talk about him without also mentioning how much he invested in his teammates and the program.”
Given his length and loyalty, Thomas sounds like a player the Seahawks historically adore especially during the Pete Carroll era.
At his pro day, Thomas presented an above average athletic profile. He is 6’1” and 210 lbs, a great height and weight for a defensive back. However, he only had 11 bench presses, which is somewhat of a red flag. His speed scores were good, running a 4.6 40 yard dash, 2.69 20 yard split, and 1.59 10 yard split. Agility scores were noteworthy as he ran a 4.35 second shuttle cone drill and a 6.78 second 3-cone, an excellent time. His explosiveness was also showcased with a 36 inch vertical jump and a 10’1” broad jump.
Seattle Seahawks Need Defensive Backs After Key Departures
GettyBoth Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen left Seattle this offseason.
During free agency, former Seahawks Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen left for the Chicago Bears and Philadephia Eagles respectively. Those departures make defensive back a critical need for the team entering the draft.
While the team retained Josh Jobe and Ty Okada, the players behind them are largely unproven. Nehemiah Pritchett struggled in limited appearances for the team. However, the Seahawks did sign Rodney Thomas from the Indianapolis Colts as an option. He has starting experience in the NFL.
It will be intriguing to see what the Seattle Seahawks do at defensive back in the NFL Draft. Look out for Skyler Thomas as we approach the end of the day three or entering the undrafted free agent period.
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