Julius Thomas Article
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 8:54 am
I like Thomas a lot. He could be a top 100 pick, if he clocks 4.5s as some believe he might.
Thomas hopes NFL career is a slam dunk
By Craig Haley, FCS Executive Director
[In The FCS Huddle] Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - When people first started asking Julius Thomas about his best time in the 40-yard dash, he responded by telling them he hadn't been clocked.
It was hardly the answer one would expect from an NFL prospect without anything to hide.
Thomas, though, isn't the typical prospect heading into the draft in April. This time last year, he was completing his final season on a basketball scholarship at Portland State and hadn't played football since his freshman year of high school.
He had one year of athletic eligibility remaining at Portland State, so he took it as a fifth-year senior walk-on with the football team. The Vikings needed a tight end and the 6-foot-4 1/2, 240-pound Thomas fit the athletic bill.
After enjoying a banner season, while earning All-Big Sky Conference first- team honors, Thomas has drawn the attention of NFL teams. He scored the only points for the West in the East-West Shrine Game last month and is considered a mid- to late-round draft pick. He hopes to open up eyes wider later this month at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
"I really haven't had that much time to reflect and think about the experience as a whole within the last year because last time this year I was playing basketball," said Thomas, who is back home and working out daily in Thousand Oaks, Calif. "I'm just trying to take everything in stride. As the days of the month have gone by, different things have been put in front of me and I've just been trying to have a work-like attitude and just go at everything, give it all I have. Everything is rushed for me (while) going through this whole process. It's like I'll get a call: 'Hey, next week you're going to the East- West Shrine Game.' OK. Or, 'Oh, we got the call back from the Combine; they invited you.' It's really just been preparing to handle the next thing on my agenda, just give it my best effort."
His unusual story has earned Thomas comparisons to Antonio Gates, who played basketball, not football, at Kent State, but has gone on to become one of the best tight ends in NFL history with the San Diego Chargers. Others compare Thomas to Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley, whose athleticism and size are similar.
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Thomas hopes NFL career is a slam dunk
By Craig Haley, FCS Executive Director
[In The FCS Huddle] Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - When people first started asking Julius Thomas about his best time in the 40-yard dash, he responded by telling them he hadn't been clocked.
It was hardly the answer one would expect from an NFL prospect without anything to hide.
Thomas, though, isn't the typical prospect heading into the draft in April. This time last year, he was completing his final season on a basketball scholarship at Portland State and hadn't played football since his freshman year of high school.
He had one year of athletic eligibility remaining at Portland State, so he took it as a fifth-year senior walk-on with the football team. The Vikings needed a tight end and the 6-foot-4 1/2, 240-pound Thomas fit the athletic bill.
After enjoying a banner season, while earning All-Big Sky Conference first- team honors, Thomas has drawn the attention of NFL teams. He scored the only points for the West in the East-West Shrine Game last month and is considered a mid- to late-round draft pick. He hopes to open up eyes wider later this month at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
"I really haven't had that much time to reflect and think about the experience as a whole within the last year because last time this year I was playing basketball," said Thomas, who is back home and working out daily in Thousand Oaks, Calif. "I'm just trying to take everything in stride. As the days of the month have gone by, different things have been put in front of me and I've just been trying to have a work-like attitude and just go at everything, give it all I have. Everything is rushed for me (while) going through this whole process. It's like I'll get a call: 'Hey, next week you're going to the East- West Shrine Game.' OK. Or, 'Oh, we got the call back from the Combine; they invited you.' It's really just been preparing to handle the next thing on my agenda, just give it my best effort."
His unusual story has earned Thomas comparisons to Antonio Gates, who played basketball, not football, at Kent State, but has gone on to become one of the best tight ends in NFL history with the San Diego Chargers. Others compare Thomas to Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley, whose athleticism and size are similar.
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