Nathan Thomas NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Dallas Cowboys OT

HEIGHT: 6'5"

WEIGHT: 332

HAND: 10¾"

ARM: 33¾"

WINGSPAN: 83"

40-YARD DASH: 5.19

3-CONE: 8.01

SHUTTLE: 4.65

VERTICAL: 25"

BROAD: 8'11"

POSITIVES

— Looks the part with a thick, muscular and well-rounded build with good length and big hands.

— Good grip strength with flashes of playing long, keeping defenders at his fingertips and steering them away from the ball on down, kick-out and overtake blocks.

— Smoothly transitions into his anchor against speed to power and the bull rush to generate force through the ground while keeping rushers off his frame.

— Has enough body control to adjust and reposition his feet and hands late in the rep against shed attempts to secure rush lanes.

— Still has runway for development due to first playing offensive line upon arriving at Louisiana.

NEGATIVES

— Upright playing style with a bad habit of leaning and overextending into contact that saps his power and causes him to whiff on shifty, evasive targets.

— Will cross over on lateral movements and forfeit his balance.

— Comes from a run-first, gimmicky pass scheme with minimal true dropback reps.

— Rudimentary technique and processing skills in pass protection in terms of set points, body positioning and sorting games and stunts.

— Likely will move to guard in the NFL without any collegiate experience inside.

2023 STATISTICS

— 12 starts at right tackle

NOTES

— Born August 22, 2001

— 3-star recruit from the 2019 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings

— Played offensive line for the first time upon enrolling at Louisiana-Lafayette after starting at tight end in a wing-T offense in high school.

— 25 career starts at left tackle

— Participated in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl

OVERALL

Nathan Thomas is a two-year starter at left tackle inside Louisiana's 56-44 run-pass split, zone-based run scheme with a quick-hitting pass scheme centered around RPO/play-action/bootleg concepts that move the pocket. Thomas is a tall, well-proportioned player with good arm length, big hands, solid athletic ability and play strength.

Thomas is an up-and-down run-blocker with flashes of commanding play strength due to latching, steering and driving defenders away from the ball on various zone concepts. He showcases the necessary body control to adjust and stay attached late in the rep.

There are equally impressive spurts of jolt in his hands on contact that can rock defenders on their heels. However, these are sandwiched between him leaning, overextending and falling off contact against shifty, slippery defenders whom he can't latch onto right away due to an upright play style with sloppy footwork that sacrifices his balance.

In pass protection, Thomas wasn't asked to do much. But on the select few isolated reps per game, he primarily won with size, a firm anchor and an ability to play long and keep rushers off his frame. When he does lose, it is often glaring and quick due to his disjointed footwork, struggles to expand set points and middling range that suggest a move inside would be best for him in the NFL.

Overall, Thomas is relatively new to the offensive line, and it shows in how raw he is with technique. However, he possesses starting-caliber physical traits with the runway to develop into a contributor at guard over time under a seasoned offensive line coach. Initial expectations for Thomas should be modest, but he has the tools to provide a positive return on investment.

GRADE: 6.4 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 134

POSITION RANK: IOL20

PRO COMPARISON: Quinton Spain

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

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