RB Aphonso Thomas [SMU - Signed LOI]

[swmohusker]

So to sum it up. We want Ezekiel Elliot and our new RB recruit is slow but our old recruits are faster than what their 40 times said. Oh wait a second AT would beat EE in the 100 meter dash (AT 10.91 and EE 10.95)

[Lava]

"The NFL times their 40s rather conservatively, as far as I can tell."

 

el oh freaking el. The NFL times electronically. Their times are 100% accurate. The HS times and your personal estimations are incredibly liberal, as evidenced by how they compare to the NFL times.

[zoogs]

Yeah, but even then (for electronic times in general), you hear of things like "fast track" and whatever.

 

But in this case, I think Mavric noted about a page or so ago that he doesn't even know where the 4.71 number ever came from.

 

Which is probably fitting, because in the end, it's kind of just a buzz number, not something with actual meaning. And really, if we're talking about a guy whose style of play and role won't be that of a speed back...shouldn't we be talking about the other parts of his game?

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Newby and Taylor have been thought of as a potential one-two punch, with Newby as the featured running back and Taylor coming in as a change of pace, third down, red-zone, and short yard. I could see Ozigbo and Thomas playing similar roles. Thomas can start a series running inside and outside zone and Ozigbo can set in for passing third downs as either a rush blocker or passing threat.

[Savage Husker]

http://m.omaha.com/huskers/i-back-commit-aphonso-thomas-adds-strength-says-he-ll/article_9dfa5d64-e053-5f39-949d-342215ce25f2.html?mode=jqm

 

"Thomas said he didnt participate much in the offseason camp scene until this year, which can limit exposure. He was reportedly clocked at 4.71 seconds in the 40-yard dash at a recent combine-style event, according to Scout.com."

[Savage Husker]

If he really is now just peaking, what a perfect time to get in on the kid. Most of these 4-5*'s are kids who hit a growth spurt 8-10th grade and have made a name for themselves in the camp scene as well as a solid contributor as a sophomore in HS. How many of those plateau athletically? I really don't know. I recall Tim Miles joking about the kids with "no hair on their legs" being prime for the picking because they haven't hit that final growth spurt yet. If he is now blowing up as he said in the above article, I'm sure Philipp would love working with this kid.

[Red Five]

corn - You need to stop digging, bro. That hole keeps getting bigger...

 

There are a few laughable comments in your speed diatribe. But I'll highlight this one:

 

 

I prefer recuits that have been more thoroughly vetted and sought after and have a buzz about them. The under the radar guys make me real nervous, especially this late in the cycle.

 

 

He was offered in the spring of his junior year! Please explain how that is "late in the cycle"?

[Hedley Lamarr]

It isn't late in the cycle at all. This kid will end up a 5.6-5.7 3 star minimum

[RedDenver]

Hasn't one of Nebraska's perennial downfalls when playing the big boy teams been a relative lack of overall team speed? Yes, it has, the last best example being vs USC. We need more team speed, as much as possible, especially @ the skill positions. That's obvious, even a non NFL coach like me can figure that out.

The USC team NU hung with the whole game and almost beat? With an interim HC. You're making a mountain out of a mole hill.

[Dr. Strangelove]

 

Hasn't one of Nebraska's perennial downfalls when playing the big boy teams been a relative lack of overall team speed? Yes, it has, the last best example being vs USC. We need more team speed, as much as possible, especially @ the skill positions. That's obvious, even a non NFL coach like me can figure that out.

The USC team NU hung with the whole game and almost beat? With an interim HC. You're making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

I get your point, but USC had something like 51 scholarship players on the roster without including whatever injuries they might have had.

 

How do you think Nebraska would have done if we had to play with 51 scholarship players all season?

 

As far as Thomas goes, lots of kool-aid is flowing in this thread. I get that, you're fans and you want him to be good. He has the size Mike Riley likes in his running backs, which is fine, but overall he doesn't appear to be on the same level as most of our recent running backs we've had hear at NU. It looks like most of the coaches in Texas, Oklahoma and in SEC country agree.

[bulletbait]

 

Those hounding on Thomas's 2* rating would do well to remember how lightly recruited Ameer was in high school as a RB.

 

Thomas has a running style that I love. At a glance I could see someone saying he runs too high, but I'd argue he's just got a running style that isn't very common because you've got to be very strong to pull it off. I know I'm going to catch sh#t for this, and the comparison isn't perfect, but the first guy that popped into my head as a comparison (style-wise) is Earl Campbell. Of course, he needs to add literally 50 lbs (mostly in his legs) to be on Earl's level, and he's not as fast as Earl was, but he's got that same rock solid base that lets him glide through contact and stay on his feet with power. If Thomas can get his weight into the 230 range, I think he'd be an incredible power back.

I actually thought he was more 6'2" or 6'3" and 210-ish in the Hudl vid because he looks pretty big relative to other players. Then I realized the other players are just kind of small-ish since AT is 5'11"/6'0" 180/190 lbs depending on who you ask. I agree with your style eval, though, sometimes the knee high white sock and white shoes can make players look like Earl Campbell, Marcus Dupree, etc.

 

 

Your comment is a bit flippant and doesn't really deserve responding to, but I'll just leave this here. Certainly past success doesn't guarantee future results, but I like to think I know a little bit of what I'm talking about, even if only as an amateur evaluator.

[cornographic]

So much equivocation, so little time, puts me in multiquote hell!

 

Top equivocation(s) so far:

 

1) Rating services don't matter. Evidently it's 'hard to predict' how #1, 5* recruits, with beaucoup offers like Jameis Winston or Leonard Fournette will do in college(and beyond). Therefore, why not recruit a guy that's more or less off the radar, with offers from the likes of KU and Tejas St, doesn't appear on the Rivals position list(https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/quicklist.asp?School=&Sport=1&DPosition=10&Position=8&Year=2016&qs=1), because, you know, it's 'hard to predict'.

 

2) Speed doesn't matter/is 'overrated', whether individually or by team.

 

3) H.S. 40 times are unreliable and therefore don't matter(much). NFL 40 times are the TRUTH, though.

 

4) AT may be a complete unknown now, but by the end of the cycle, everybodys' gonna want him!

 

5) Guys like Ameer Abdullah are more the rule than the exception.

 

Anyway...

 

 

 

 

Braylon Heard, for one, is faster than 4.6, he's at least 4.5 in the real world(4.4 out of h.s.).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But still, he's going to be competeing with at least 3 legitimate 4* RBs ahead of him when he gets to NU. soooo, I guess I have to defer to the coaches' eyes here, because to me, I'm just not seeing it.

 

 

What does that even mean? And the difference between the 4.6 and 4.4 out of hs is that one was electronic and can be verified, and the other is hearsay.

 

I wonder where those 3 RB's were rated in June before their senior year of football. Seems a bit unfair to compare them when you're taking the 3's highest final ranking vs. AT's ranking before his senior year.

 

Not exactly sure where Heard was rated in the June prior, but at some point he was #5 RB in the country, 4* . I'm pretty certain, but cannot confirm(maybe someone else can) that Newby, Taylor and Wilbon were well established commodities at this point in their respective recruiting cycles. Newby 4*, 10th overall RB, noteworthy offers from OR, ASU, UCLA, WA, ARK, and Ol Miss. Taylor, 4*, 18th, offers from BAMA, FSU, ARK, Ol Miss, OU, Okie St, Wiscy and others. Wilbon, 4*, 16th, AZ, ASU, Miss St, GT, WV. ARK, Mizzou. I doubt AT's resume gets bumped at any point to match the guys he's going to be up against when he gets to NU.

So to sum it up. We want Ezekiel Elliot and our new RB recruit is slow but our old recruits are faster than what their 40 times said. Oh wait a second AT would beat EE in the 100 meter dash (AT 10.91 and EE 10.95)

Gee, I dunno, we(BO & Co) already did want EE, along with Bama, tOSU, GA, Sparta, NU, ASU, Ark, ND, UCLA, Wiscy, PSU, TN, and others( As a true frosh, EE was an key part of his teams' earning a NC trophy. AT has(d) offers from NV, TX St, KU, CSU, S. Austin U, and has been splitting time with an RB who's going to SE OK St. So.....

Newby and Taylor have been thought of as a potential one-two punch, with Newby as the featured running back and Taylor coming in as a change of pace, third down, red-zone, and short yard. I could see Ozigbo and Thomas playing similar roles. Thomas can start a series running inside and outside zone and Ozigbo can set in for passing third downs as either a rush blocker or passing threat.

Though I have great faith in Newby, me thinks Taylor and Wilbon will be well into the fray for the starting position by season's end--maybe sooner. Ozigbo looks like a thumper type guy who will be pushing Cross. That Jordan Nelson also seemed to be making some noise @ the Spring Fling. Then there's Dedrick Young(?) AT will probably have to 'take a number' when he gets here.

 

It isn't late in the cycle at all. This kid will end up a 5.6-5.7 3 star minimum

He's already been bumped up to 3* on 247, or something. It's late in the cycle to be a relatively unkown quantity, compared to the known quantites with numerous noteworthy offers, is what I'm saying.

 

Hasn't one of Nebraska's perennial downfalls when playing the big boy teams been a relative lack of overall team speed? Yes, it has, the last best example being vs USC. We need more team speed, as much as possible, especially @ the skill positions. That's obvious, even a non NFL coach like me can figure that out.

The USC team NU hung with the whole game and almost beat? With an interim HC. You're making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

By, 'hung with the whole game', I assume you mean playing from an 18 point deficit well into the 3rd qtr. NU fought back, to their credit.

Speed!

 

 

Hasn't one of Nebraska's perennial downfalls when playing the big boy teams been a relative lack of overall team speed? Yes, it has, the last best example being vs USC. We need more team speed, as much as possible, especially @ the skill positions. That's obvious, even a non NFL coach like me can figure that out.

The USC team NU hung with the whole game and almost beat? With an interim HC. You're making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

I get your point, but USC had something like 51 scholarship players on the roster without including whatever injuries they might have had.

 

How do you think Nebraska would have done if we had to play with 51 scholarship players all season?

 

As far as Thomas goes, lots of kool-aid is flowing in this thread. I get that, you're fans and you want him to be good. He has the size Mike Riley likes in his running backs, which is fine, but overall he doesn't appear to be on the same level as most of our recent running backs we've had hear at NU. It looks like most of the coaches in Texas, Oklahoma and in SEC country agree.

 

Good points, Sir.

[Savage Husker]

The USC team was gushed over by the announcers during that bowl game calling them a CFP contender this upcoming season, they really weren't short of talent. (Sark isn't a good enough coach to get them there)

[RedDenver]

If you're using video to prove USC is so much faster, then this clip shows Westerkamp as much faster than the USC secondary:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:12085927

 

I'm pointing out that a supposedly much faster USC team barely beat NU. Rewatching that game, only one USC player looked faster than NU's guys: Adoree Jackson. And, quite frankly, DPE looked faster than USC's guy except Jackson.

 

Mostly I'm deriding the ridiculousness that 40 times equate to a useful football measure.

[RedDenver]

 

 

Hasn't one of Nebraska's perennial downfalls when playing the big boy teams been a relative lack of overall team speed? Yes, it has, the last best example being vs USC. We need more team speed, as much as possible, especially @ the skill positions. That's obvious, even a non NFL coach like me can figure that out.

The USC team NU hung with the whole game and almost beat? With an interim HC. You're making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

I get your point, but USC had something like 51 scholarship players on the roster without including whatever injuries they might have had.

 

How do you think Nebraska would have done if we had to play with 51 scholarship players all season?

 

As far as Thomas goes, lots of kool-aid is flowing in this thread. I get that, you're fans and you want him to be good. He has the size Mike Riley likes in his running backs, which is fine, but overall he doesn't appear to be on the same level as most of our recent running backs we've had hear at NU. It looks like most of the coaches in Texas, Oklahoma and in SEC country agree.

 

I'm pointing out that cornographic's example of SPEED, isn't a very good example. Miami supposedly has more speed than NU, but that example doesn't support his conclusion. Melvin Gordon would be a better example at least.

 

As for Aphonso Thomas, it's the same as every recruit: depends what people already believe. Some think stars matter. Some think who offered matters. Some think the highlight film matters. Etc. etc.

 

I'm not impressed, but I hardly think that means he couldn't be great.