Jaylen Thomas 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• Played basketball in addition to football in high school

• Picked SMU over Texas Tech 
• Naive of Lubbock, Texas

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: Spread
• 2022 projected role: Starting LT

Pros: Jaylen Thomas is a smooth and controlled operator. He does well to remain balanced and play within himself. Thomas is intentional about staying square to blocks and positioning himself to sustain. He varies his pass sets and generally knows when to be patient and when to get on top of opponents quickly. Thomas has good power throughout his frame and I never felt for a second that he was deficient when it comes to functional strength. He has a surprising gravitational pull for a narrow blocker with modest length. Thomas is mostly a positional blocker in the run game, but when he gets chances to take advantage of an angle and roll his hips into contact, his power and mean streak come out. He is effective in terms of timing when working to the second level when executing scoops and combos. Thomas has experience at both left and right tackle. 

Cons: Jaylen Thomas doesn’t have the ideal width or length to play offensive tackle in the NFL and he is a better overall projection to guard, where he gained some experience in 2021. While he does well to compete, he does frequently get outreached and has to work overtime to get his hands fit, often requiring him to free up his chest first. Some of his 45-degree sets get him in trouble and he can be too aggressive thinking he can cut off the rusher’s angle. The SMU scheme doesn’t do him any favors getting him ready for life in the NFL.

Jaylen Thomas NFL Draft Scouting Report by Joe Marino