Jakobe Thomas

Draft Projection

Measurements

Athletic Testing

College Statistics

Strengths

• Excellent size for the position at 6'2" and 200 pounds with length that allows him to challenge receivers at the catch point and disrupt passing lanes consistently throughout his route.
• Natural ball skills pop off the tape with four career interceptions including multiple highlight-reel plays where he reads the quarterback's eyes, times his break perfectly, and shows soft hands to secure difficult catches.
• Instinctive coverage player who processes route combinations quickly in zone coverage, understands landmarks in different shells, and positions himself to make plays on the football without getting caught flat-footed.
• Demonstrates real versatility by lining up as a single-high free safety, playing two-high looks, walking down into robber roles, and even showing in the box on specific run fits.
• Shows good route recognition and anticipation, particularly against crossing patterns and intermediate routes where he can jump throws and turn coverage reps into turnover opportunities when quarterbacks get careless.
• Displays solid range in the deep half when playing two-high shells, covering ground from hash to sideline and showing enough speed to get over the top on vertical routes.
• Competitive mentality shines through on tape with the willingness to stick his nose in on run support, deliver contact when given the opportunity, and play with physicality despite lacking ideal weight.
• Accumulated substantial college experience across 47 games at three different programs, learning multiple defensive systems and proving he can adapt to different coaching philosophies and scheme requirements throughout his career.

Areas to Improve

• Tackling consistency represents his most glaring issue with a career that includes far too many whiffs, as evidenced by missing 21 tackles in 2023 alone and posting a 22.2 percent missed tackle rate.
• Lacks ideal functional strength and plays lighter than his listed 200 pounds, struggling to shed blocks from tight ends and getting pushed around when trying to fill against the run inside.
• Average speed shows up in his 4.5 forty time and translates to tape where he can get beat over the top by elite vertical threats and doesn't have recovery speed to erase mistakes.
• Inconsistent processing against play-action and misdirection leads to false steps and delayed reactions, particularly when offenses attack him with window dressing that freezes him momentarily before he diagnoses the actual threat.
• Man coverage ability remains a question mark with limited reps covering slot receivers or tight ends in isolation, raising concerns about his ability to handle versatile offensive weapons in one-on-one situations.