Inconsistency has plagued Logan Thomas for the entirety of his career at Virginia Tech, so it’s not a surprise that NFL scouts and front offices are both intrigued yet concerned with adding him to their teams.
At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, Thomas has tremendous size for an NFL quarterback. Only Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers boasts such a frame, and it’s clear how it works to his advantage on the professional level. Like Newton, Thomas also has a big arm and above-average athleticism.
But Thomas has had difficulty using all his tools effectively.
Issues with throwing mechanics and footwork have led to Thomas struggling to complete passes on a consistent basis. Often he throws when he’s off-balanced. He completed 55.5 percent of his passes in college and owned a 53:39 touchdown to interception ratio. Likewise, Thomas has an issue finding open receivers and often turns to his legs prematurely.
But those in NFL front offices remain intrigued by Thomas who, at times, has shown glimpses of unique play-making ability. Jacksonville Jaguars general manager David Caldwell acknowledged Thomas’ inconsistency, but believes if he finds a coach who can improve his mechanics, he could have a future in the NFL.
That sentiment was echoed by Greg A. Bedard of Monday Morning Quarterback, who was on hand during the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Al. and wrote Thomas “can really spin the ball. Yeah, he’s been wildly inconsistent in his career, but he’s the perfect guy for a team to develop down the road.” And according to NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks, no senior signal-caller had a better outing than Thomas.
Thomas is listed as the No. 13 quarterback in this year’s draft class, a projected seventh-round selection but just as likely to be an undrafted free agent. ESPN Scouts Inc. considers him the seventh-best at his position.
So which team will gamble a bit on the project that is Logan Thomas? The best bet is a team that doesn’t have a major need at the position, and instead can afford to take a late-round flier on a prospect with as high of a ceiling as Thomas has.
In pure speculation, wouldn’t Thomas fit in well in Chip Kelly’s up-tempo system? He could sit behind Nick Foles, learning the offense while he tries to improve his mechanics. And sticking with the NFC East, if the Washington Redskins send Kirk Cousins packing, couldn’t Thomas learn a lot from Robert Griffin III?
Bruce Arians will eventually have to find a replacement to Carson Palmer in the desert, and he has a reputation for molding young quarterbacks (Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlesberger). And of course, the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars have to address that position at some point in the draft, so he may be on both teams’ radars.
Check out more 2014 NFL Draft profiles at the XN Sports Draft Center.
