Mike Thomas WR, Los Angeles Rams
Height: 6′ 1”
Weight: 200 lbs
Hands: 10 1/2’’
Arm: 33 3/8’’
40 yard dash: 4.53 (pro day)

NFL Comparison: Steve Breaston, Nick Toon, Cecil Shorts

Scouting Notes: No, this isn’t that Thomas, though even the NFL’s website uses a picture of the Saints’ beastly new WR on their page for the lesser known former Southern Miss star. An identical name is where the similarities stop for the two players, as they have very different styles of play. Mike Thomas is a scrappier player than Michael Thomas, and that’s mainly out of necessity. He isn’t able to separate at the line of scrimmage or out of his breaks like the stronger, more jukey Thomas from Ohio State, so most of his catches are contested. That fact has made him a junkyard dog on the field though, and he usually comes away with the ball. That low drop-rate, in part, is due to his 10 1/2″ inch mitts that would make even Odell Beckham Jr. take notice. Thomas can and does make the same type of circus catches as ODB as well. And though not usually the fastest guy on the field, Thomas is a smooth player with quick acceleration, gliding through would-be tacklers like butter. Not always an effective blocker, Thomas at least approaches the task with intensity, which is more than I can say for many talented WRs.

Pro Football Focus listed Thomas as its No.3 “sleeper” in the 2016 draft class, saying:

“Thomas likely fell in the draft due to average measurables and the fact that he played against a lower level of competition at Southern Miss. But he had the 11th highest receiving grade in this draft class, and flashed the kind of ability at times that leads you to believe he has a chance to develop into a very special player. His 2.98 yards per route run average was the fifth-best mark of any receiver in this draft class. His second-highest game grade of the year came against Washington in the bowl game, which should at least somewhat dampen fears about the level of competition he faced. He’s a potential steal for the Rams, which currently doesn’t have the strongest offensive supporting cast around new QB Jared Goff.”

Fantasy Outlook: Thomas landing on one of the weakest WR corps in the league makes him a viable candidate to make a considerable impact during his rookie year for his team if not for fantasy owners. He has better hands than most of the guys already playing for the Rams including fellow rookie Pharoh Cooper, and the mere presence of Todd Gurley on the field makes defenses more susceptible to the pass. If Thomas can polish his route-running and boost his strength enough to get some more separation in at the line, he could earn himself a starting job on what we hope is an up-and-coming offense. He has the ball skills and big-play ability to become a productive fantasy contributor. This “other” Thomas is well worth a flyer in dynasty and perhaps even deep redraft leagues. The problem is, with a current mid-3rd round ADP in dynasty rookie drafts, we’re not sure he’ll be available at the dead-end of drafts, which is where we’d feel most comfortable taking a risk on him. As always, please refer to the newest version of the RosterWatch dynasty draft cheat sheet for all final decisions in-draft.

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