What did Willis do wrong

[Ethnicsands]

Thomas ran a 4.38 at a camp in high school and won the fastest man comp at the opening and one of the guys he beat was chris henderson who ran a 4.35.

So we’re so far in the 4.35-4.38 range, without any actual knowledge of timing methodology. Sounds very believable.

It’s easy for a few hundredths to be lost when you get to the combine, but we’ll see. That’s why I said he needs to test well. Closer to 4.30 and he’s truly distinguished on speed. Closer to 4.40 and he’s still really fast for most purposes, but not necessarily so fast that the nfl will view him as a high round pick at 5’10”.

 

[SWFLHurricane]

I have made no prediction regarding Thomas, so you can keep your petty snit insults to yourself. I pointed out that at his size, and given questions around his character that aren’t new and aren’t any secret, and considering he has not yet proven he can run a 4.3 40, that he’ll have to perform well this year and test well to get drafted high. If that’s hard for you to process, sorry. It’s not disrespectful to the kid, either. I hope he does play himself into a high pick.

Jeff ran a 4.3 in HS....

 

[The Franchise]

Even if he tests like an ELITE athlete...what will distinguish him from the other elite athletes at the WR position in the draft. Emanuel Hall, 99th percentile athlete, 6'2" 200lbs, 2nd Team All-SEC, one of the nation's leaders in yards per reception just went undrafted.

Jeff is going to have a helluva battle getting past his history of quitting and emotional meltdowns. That’s exactly the kind of stuff that will get you undrafted. He’d be well-served to put together two years as a model citizen with great production. Otherwise, he’s going to have a big problem to overcome.

 

[TemplarCane]

As predicted, the narrative has been floated and is now being debated about coaches having badmouthed this kid. An obvious move by an agent trying to cover up their own failings.

Here's the bottomline. Gerald Willis was a team captain in 2018. That's ALL you need as a competent agent worth your salt and salary to combat any potential (or made up post facto) badmouthing.

A team captain with a universal 2nd to 4th (at worst) round grade at a money position in today's NFL simply does not go UNDRAFTED unless he fails multiple drug tests and/or get arrested right before the Draft OR has beyond inept people around him and advising/enabling him during the process.

Rosenscum gets this kid drafted in the 3rd round, imo. Not only does he assuage any front office concerns but he probably has GMs like Dave Gettleman thinking 3 teams that pick after them are absolutely taking him.

What he said ^^^

 

[Andrew]

Jeff ran a 4.3 in HS....

Jeff ran a 4.38 at the opening.

 

[SWFLHurricane]

Jeff ran a 4.38 at the opening.

I know that...but he did run a 4.3 as well...He made Super Fast kids look slow at Under Armor practices a few yrs ago here in O-Town...I spent 2 days watching him...He also Won Fastest Man that same week.....

 

[BoxingRobes]

Jeff is going to have a helluva battle getting past his history of quitting and emotional meltdowns. That’s exactly the kind of stuff that will get you undrafted. He’d be well-served to put together two years as a model citizen with great production. Otherwise, he’s going to have a big problem to overcome.

Absolutely.

As an aside...listen, I like Jeff Thomas. He is a good football player.

But I just saw Hakeem Butler go in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. If you haven't seen Hakeem Butler...he's ******* incredible. 6'5" 225lbs that tests in the 85th percentile. Played inside, outside, has an advanced route tree ... and has a ridiculous catch radius. He's an otherwise clean prospect...just drops passes. If you came away from watching Butler thinking Jeff Thomas is anywhere near that right now, you're lying to yourself.

I'm just saying about Jeff...he's good, but he's gotta get better on the football field, too...and that has nothing to do with whats going on in between his ears and off the field shenanigans.

 

[Andrew]

Who had Willis at 2nd round?

I always saw 3rd - 4th, which I thought was pretty accurate.

Here is his nfl.com profile

Gerald Willis Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com

All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Gerald Willis

www.nfl.com

 

[Andrew]

I know that...but he did run a 4.3 as well...He made Super Fast kids look slow at Under Armor practices a few yrs ago here in O-Town...I spent 2 days watching him...He also Won Fastest Man that same week.....

No one is denying his speed, just that it isn't a 4.3. I will stand corrected if someone provides that time from a legit source.

 

[brock]

Absolutely.

As an aside...listen, I like Jeff Thomas. He is a good football player.

But I just saw Hakeem Butler go in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. If you haven't seen Hakeem Butler...he's ******* incredible. 6'5" 225lbs that tests in the 85th percentile. Played inside, outside, has an advanced route tree ... and has a ridiculous catch radius. He's an otherwise clean prospect...just drops passes. If you came away from watching Butler thinking Jeff Thomas is anywhere near that right now, you're lying to yourself.

I'm just saying about Jeff...he's good, but he's gotta get better on the football field, too...and that has nothing to do with whats going on in between his ears and off the field shenanigans.

Hardman wasn’t anywhere near butler but he has speed and went in the 2nd round which is what Jeff obviously has

 

[brock]

Absolutely.

As an aside...listen, I like Jeff Thomas. He is a good football player.

But I just saw Hakeem Butler go in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. If you haven't seen Hakeem Butler...he's ******* incredible. 6'5" 225lbs that tests in the 85th percentile. Played inside, outside, has an advanced route tree ... and has a ridiculous catch radius. He's an otherwise clean prospect...just drops passes. If you came away from watching Butler thinking Jeff Thomas is anywhere near that right now, you're lying to yourself.

I'm just saying about Jeff...he's good, but he's gotta get better on the football field, too...and that has nothing to do with whats going on in between his ears and off the field shenanigans.

Hardman wasn’t anywhere near butler but he has speed and went in the 2nd round which is what Jeff obviously has

 

[Andrew]

We are off topic discussing Jeff Thomas, but he is going to be hard to project due to the uncertainty he brings. This kid could go anywhere from high 2nd round to UDFA.

 

[brock]

Who had Willis at 2nd round?

I always saw 3rd - 4th, which I thought was pretty accurate.

Here is his nfl.com profile

Gerald Willis Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com

All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Gerald Willis

www.nfl.com

Both mcshay and kiper had him in the 2nd round as of just this past week

 

[SWFLHurricane]

No one is denying his speed, just that it isn't a 4.3. I will stand corrected if someone provides that time from a legit source.

Again....he made Extremely Fast AAs look like they were running in mud....watch the Under Armour game...and tell me thats not 4.3 speed....He absolutely Smoked everyone.

 

[Andrew]

Both mcshay and kiper had him in the 2nd round as of just this past week

McShay had him going in the third. You are right that Kiper had him going in the second.

Where ESPN’s top NFL Draft analysts just projected all six of Miami’s best prospects

ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay just covered all of Miami’s top prospects in a conference call. Here’s where they believe Gerald Willis, Joe Jackson and four other Hurricanes will be drafted.

www.miamiherald.com

The NFL analyst had him 3rd - 4th.

 

[Andrew]

Again....he made Extremely Fast AAs look like they were running in mud....watch the Under Armour game...and tell me thats not 4.3 speed....He absolutely Smoked everyone.

Not denying that, but he can smoke everyone at a 4.38 as well. When it comes timings I look for official timings from combines opposed to those from HS coaches.

 

[brock]

Not denying that, but he can smoke everyone at a 4.38 as well. When it comes timings I look for official timings from combines opposed to those from HS coaches.

Yeah I havent Seen him timed at 4.30 but that 4.38 time is legit. What’s scary is that Jeff can run even faster than that 4.38

 

[gogeta4]

Absolutely.

As an aside...listen, I like Jeff Thomas. He is a good football player.

But I just saw Hakeem Butler go in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. If you haven't seen Hakeem Butler...he's ******* incredible. 6'5" 225lbs that tests in the 85th percentile. Played inside, outside, has an advanced route tree ... and has a ridiculous catch radius. He's an otherwise clean prospect...just drops passes. If you came away from watching Butler thinking Jeff Thomas is anywhere near that right now, you're lying to yourself.

I'm just saying about Jeff...he's good, but he's gotta get better on the football field, too...and that has nothing to do with whats going on in between his ears and off the field shenanigans.

LMAO......Please see the bolded. Dude does eeverything except what he is suppose to do which is catch the **** ball. Hakeem Butler is Lawrence Cager with confidence for the most part...a body catcher.

Not saying Jeff Thomas is going high or anything..but drafts differ year to year..Phil Dorsett went 1st round. You never know..Jeff Thomas likely is a mid rounder next year ..if he has a clean productive year. This is why that percentile stuff is cute...but isnt end all be all...The 85th percentile dude..cant catch.

 

[Andrew]

Yeah I havent Seen him times at 4.30 but that 4.38 time is legit. What’s scary is that Jeff can run even faster than that 4.38

Whether he runs a 4.3 or a 4.4 it really doesn't matter. What matters next is his route running, where he catches the ball, and how well you can catch the ball.

 

[DMoney]

Several people asked whether there is a statistical analysis to show which school’s players overperform their draft slots.

ESPN did it already, over fifteen years of data and thousands of picks. And it confirmed exactly what I’ve said: Miami players outperform their spots more than any team in the country, by a mile.

We compared each school’s weighted draft value and their overall performance in the NFL since 2002 to figure out which school’s produced the biggest NFL overperformers and underperformers. No school overperforms like Miami.

College football's best (and worst) NFL factories

Ever wonder which college programs produce the best NFL running backs? How about the most long-term starters or the most Pro Bowlers? We dug through data from the past 15 drafts to find out which schools make the grade at the next level.

www.espn.com

@Ethnicsands @BoxingRobes @Andrew