Devin Thomas - WR - Mich State

[Displaced Cowboy]

He's an underclassman who came out of nowhere this year and just had a big return to start the Champs Sports Bowl.

75 catches
1,226 yards
8 rec TDs

27 rushes
177 yards

kick returns:

34 returns
957 yards (28.1 yds per)

[Displaced Cowboy]

Michigan State junior wide receiver Devin Thomas, who ranked among the NCAA leaders in four major receiving and kickoff return categories for 2007, will forego his final season of college eligibility and enter the 2008 NFL draft, ESPN.com has learned.

Thomas, who has already filed the necessary paperwork with the league office, is expected to be selected in the first or second round, according to a source. He likely will make a formal announcement next week.

Only a one-year starter for the Spartans, Thomas had a breakout season in 2007, smashing the school's single-season record for all-purpose yards, set by tailback Lorenzo White in 1985.

In 13 games, Thomas registered 79 receptions for 1,260 yards and eight touchdowns, leading Michigan State in all of those categories. He returned 39 kickoffs for 1,135 yards, a 29.1-yard average. Thomas also had 27 carries for 177 yards and seven punt returns for 18 yards. For the season, Thomas totaled 2,590 all-purpose yards.

He ranked in the top 20 nationally in receptions, receiving yards, all-purpose yards and kickoff return yards.

Thomas, 21, is listed at 6-feet-2, 218 pounds, and two league scouts contacted on Friday night said those physical dimensions seem accurate. One scout assessed Thomas' speed as "very good," and noted that, while there is always more work to be done in assessing underclass prospects, league talent evaluators are aware of the Michigan State star's NFL potential.

Until Thomas is formally accepted into the draft, league scouts are precluded from offering for-the-record analysis of his skills.

Thomas began his college career at Coffeyville (Kans.) Community College in 2005 and, after being ranked as one of the top 20 junior college wide receivers, transferred to Michigan State in 2006. In his first season with the Spartans, he had six receptions for 90 yards and one touchdown.

[masomenos]

Originally Posted by Displaced Cowboy

He's an underclassman who came out of nowhere this year and just had a big return to start the Champs Sports Bowl.

75 catches
1,226 yards
8 rec TDs

27 rushes
177 yards

kick returns:

34 returns
957 yards (28.1 yds per)

Im not much of a fan of going after guys with only one productive college season...but this kid has it. He has it all, size, speed, hands, heart, versatility. I would be very happy with picking him, even in the first round. There's some highlights of him at Coffeyville floating around on the internet somewhere and he always impressed me in the MSU games I saw. Still a little raw, but has huge upside and less risk than a lot of other guys.

[ThreeSportStar80]

Yeah he's an interesting prospect, especially in the 2nd round.

[DaBoys4Life]

I don't think we go WR that early.

[JerryFan]

This kid is going to be a very good ball player IMO. If it were up to me I'd prolly take Thomas over Hardy from Indiana.

[Biggems]

I know there have been other MSU WRs in the NFL, but I cannot think of any at the moment......does anyone know the track record of MSU WRs in the NFL?

[JerryFan]

Plaxico Burress is one.

[Displaced Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Biggems

I know there have been other MSU WRs in the NFL, but I cannot think of any at the moment......does anyone know the track record of MSU WRs in the NFL?

Charles Rogers
Plaxico Burress
Derrick Mason
Muhsin Muhammad
Andre Rison
Mark Ingram

Those are ones I can think of.

But I don't put any weight in the track record of position players coming out of a school unless it is under the same coaching regime.

[Bob Sacamano]

Originally Posted by masomenos85

Im not much of a fan of going after guys with only one productive college season...but this kid has it. He has it all, size, speed, hands, heart, versatility. I would be very happy with picking him, even in the first round. There's some highlights of him at Coffeyville floating around on the internet somewhere and he always impressed me in the MSU games I saw. Still a little raw, but has huge upside and less risk than a lot of other guys.

didn't Chad Johnson have like 2 productive college seasons? he was a JC transfer to a big school, too

[DaBoys4Life]

If we didn't get a WR last year when there we're better prospects what are the odds we going WR this year?

[masomenos]

Originally Posted by Bob Sacamano

didn't Chad Johnson have like 2 productive college seasons? he was a JC transfer to a big school, too

Yeah, two productive seasons holds a lot more weight than one in my opinion though. But like I said, I like this kid enough that I would be a 100% ok going off what I've seen from one season in Division 1.