2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report:
Clemson EDGE Xavier Thomas
From presently until the 2024 NFL Draft, we’ll scout and make profiles for as numerous prospects as conceivable, looking at their qualities, shortcomings, and what they can bring to an NFL establishment. These players can be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 choices, and need undrafted free specialists. Nowadays, a scouting report on Clemson EDGE Xavier Thomas.
-Has an hazardous to begin with step that permits him to pick up ground upfield as a pass rusher, making a difference him turn the corner.
-Truly great length for the position; hand utilization and use stand out as EDGE shield
-Reliably employments his hands to remain clean defending the run or as a pass rusher; hands never halt working
-Contains a fast closing burst to assist wrap up off plays in interest
-Great engine that runs hot attempting to twist the edge; persistent in his pass-rush interest
-Deciphers speed to power proficiently and with great victory
-Shows great twist to plunge and race around the corner without losing speed
-Able to handle rapidly and has great eyes to require him to the football within the run amusement
-Solid feel for what blockers are attempting to do to him
The Awful
-Lean, wiry outline; dropped a part of weight after reported weight issues in 2020 and 2021.
-Needs that genuine go-to move in got-to-have-it circumstances as a pass rusher
-Knows how to utilize his hands but must refine utilization to win more often as a pass rusher
-Play quality could be a concern; a few reps where he gets hurled around within the run amusement, coming up short to set the edge
-Previous high-pedigree enroll that never very lived up to the charging in college
-Need of production over 61 career diversions is very concerning
-Has not created a genuine counter to his amusement; ought to include that as the another portion of pass surge arrange
Bio
-Played in 61 career diversions for Clemson with 30 begins
-Wrapped up six-year career with 133 handles, 34 handles for misfortune, 17.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and seven passes defensed with the Tigers
-Recorded 25 handles, four handles for misfortune, three sacks, one constrained mishandle and two passes defensed in 2023
-Best season came in 2018 when, as a first year recruit, he recorded 10.5 handles for loss and 3.5 sacks
-Named a Consistent First year recruit All-American in 2018
-Names All-ACC in 2019 and 2021 with Clemson
-Talked transparently approximately battling with discouragement amid COVID season, which led to weight pick up and a decay in generation
-Previous 5-star select and the beat player within the nation in 2018
Tape Breakdown
Flash back to the summer of 2018 after Xavier Thomas committed to Clemson, it appeared just like the South Carolina local was predetermined to be the following star pass rusher in not as it were college football, but in the long run the NFL, as well.
Six a long time afterward, things didn’t precisely pan out the way Thomas anticipated in college, as he never very lived up to the buildup as the best player within the nation. All things considered, Thomas features a genuine opportunity to be superior within the NFL than he was in college as a genuine EDGE shield who can set the edge and get after the passer with a few extraordinary physicality and charming physical characteristics.
In spite of the fact that he had fair 17.5 sacks in 61 career diversions, Thomas was an finished pass rusher, one that appeared the capacity to twist the edge, and also played well with leverage, converting speed to control reliably to win.
Here against Duke within the season opener, observe how Thomas interprets his speed rush to a long-armed bull surge, putting the Duke right handle into the quarterback’s lap.
He’s certainly not the greatest or the most grounded EDGE within the lesson, but those reps are all over his tape.
Thomas can surge interior or exterior. In spite of the fact that he’s on the littler side from a tallness viewpoint, he employments his reach well and plays with extraordinary use, overwhelming bigger linemen all through his time at Clemson.
Lined up over right protect against South Carolina last season, Thomas shockingly went with the bull surge and nearly sacked quarterback Spencer Rattler through the watch.
Extraordinary rep with great use and control to bull his way into the quarterback, collapsing the stash from the insides.
In spite of the fact that Thomas employments his hands well and consistently battles to remain clean, he still must create as a hand warrior. In the event that he can gotten to be more productive with his hand usage, look out.
The speed, control, and capacity to turn the corner are all there. Improving his hands would make him truly perilous.
Thomas’ get-off is very noteworthy. He flies out of his position with an eye-opening burst, and his stride permits him to cover a ton of ground, putting hostile handles at a impediment.
You can’t truly attempt to quick-set him, and when he sees early on that handles basically can’t adhere with him upfield, he’ll lean into his speed rushers over and over once more, disturbing quarterback timing.
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Conclusion
Whereas Thomas didn’t live up to the sky-high buildup he created coming out of tall school, he still put together a better than average career at Clemson. He battled through some mental wellbeing issues amid the 2020 season that set him back a bit prior to the 2023 season. Healthy physically and mentally in 2023, Thomas had a solid last campaign with the Tigers and after that awed at the 2024 East-West Holy place Bowl in Dallas.
He included to an amazing pre-draft cycle with a strong appearing at the Combine, testing well for the position. Those testing numbers back up the tape Thomas had in 2023, showing an unstable competitor who is still attempting to really circular out his game as a pass rusher. He has all the physical tools and characteristics groups search for in pass rushers. He needs a bit more refinement. That may be concerning for a player who went through six seasons in college and turned 24 in late December, but the payoff with Thomas in the proper circumstance with the proper coaching arrange might be colossal.