Every year, there is one undrafted rookie who captivates the Detroit Lions fanbase. This year that player is Starling Thomas, a speedy cornerback from UAB.
Thomas is a popular projection to not only make the Lions’ 53-man roster, but many believe he can get significant playing time. But has his performance in training camp really been that special?
The answer to that question is complex. Not a definitive “yes,” and certainly not a hard “no” either.
Thomas’ speed absolutely stands out. He was GPS timed in college at over 24 MPH and was a state champion high school sprinter in Alabama. Those wheels show in drills; in a one-on-one coverage drill in Saturday’s practice, Thomas edged past WR Kalif Raymond in pursuit of a deep throw. Raymond runs the 40-yard dash in the low 4.3 range, i.e. really fast. And Thomas shows he’s faster.
There is more to playing cornerback than just running fast. And Thomas does some of those things impressively. He’s quick on his feet and reacts well to the routes. Thomas is good at identifying the route stem and can quickly get his feet and hips pointed in the right direction in reaction. He’s shown in team drills he can pass off responsibility in a zone and communicate well with those around him.
One good example came in a red zone drill on Monday. The Lions defense went into a zone shell, and the offense attacked it by flooding one side of the formation and running receivers across the field at various depths. It requires the defensive backs to quickly identify their coverage marks and communicate well about the transition plans pre-snap. Thomas didn’t linger too long on the deep receiver and smartly pinched up to take away a potential throwing lane to the crossing tight end. It was a good play and veteran safety Tracy Walker let him know it, appreciatively.
He’s got some attitude, too. Attitude in a good way. After a rep where Jameson Williams didn’t catch the pass with Thomas in coverage, the rookie got into Williams’ face. A brief jawing session ended with Williams punching Thomas in the facemask. That kind of feistiness from Thomas is well-received by the Lions coaching staff and fellow defensive backs, and it’s a positive sign that Thomas isn’t afraid of the level of play.
Alas, it’s not all hunky-dory for Thomas. As he did at UAB, Thomas has a very real problem with defensive holding. Veteran wideout Denzel Mims chastised Thomas for it after a rep in Monday’s practice. I can’t print the words used, but the message from Mims was clear: “quit grabbing me all the time”.
In one series on Saturday morning, Thomas was guilty of what the NFL deems illegal contact on five straight reps. Even though he’s fast enough to run with anyone, Thomas doesn’t yet trust the speed to recover and as a result he clutches and grabs instinctively. This showed on his Blazers game film in college and it has not abated one bit in Detroit.
A live tackling drill on Monday also did not go well — at all — for the rookie. He’s not small at 5-foot-10 and 194 pounds (as listed by the Lions) but he doesn’t use the strength well in tackling. Thomas is a side-swiping arm tackler who leaves his feet too readily. That was clearly evident in the tackling drill and also in team drills earlier in camp. He’s more of a nibbler/clean-up tackle guy than an aggressive instigator in the run game.
Throw all of that into a Lions blender and what does the team have in Thomas?
He’s a promising outside cover corner and potential special teams asset with his speed and confidence. Thomas can make plays in the passing game. But he’s got to stop the chronic holding and illegal contact issues, and also show more gumption in run defense if he wants to make the team.
