Finding the Fits: Saints have big plans for rookie wideout Michael Thomas

Finding the Fits: Saints have big plans for rookie wideout Michael Thomas – CBSSports.com

(This is part of a series — Finding the Fits — in which NFLDraftScout.com will review the more intriguing picks made during the 2016 NFL Draft. The goal is to identify one relatively unheralded player per team who appears to be a good schematic fit and, therefore, more likely to be a surprise contributor early in his pro career.)

New Orleans’ best fit: WR Michael Thomas, Ohio State, No. 47 overall

Heading into the 2016 NFL Draft, the clear top priority in New Orleans was fixing a defense which finished last (or very close to it) in virtually every category, including points (29.8) and yardage (413.8) allowed per game.

Not surprisingly, the Saints invested heavily in reinforcements in the draft with penetrating defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and hard-hitting safety Vonn Bell each in line for significant duty in their first year.

For as bad as the Saints’ defense was in 2015, the offense was the total opposite, ranking second behind the Arizona Cardinals (408.3) with an average of 403.8 total yards per game, including an NFL-best 310.6 passing yards per game.

The Saints’ high-octane aerial assault was all the more impressive given that the club traded away former featured target in All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham a year earlier and saw veteran receiver Marques Colston slip to just 45 catches for 520 yards and four touchdowns — the lowest numbers of his 10-year NFL career.

With the 6-foot-7, 265 pound Graham now in Seattle and the Saints opting to release the 6-foot-4, 225 pound Colston, there was a “huge” need in New Orleans for a big, physical receiver to handle the split end duties in Sean Payton’s offense.

That’s where Thomas, the club’s second round pick, comes in.

At 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, Thomas offers prototypical size for this role, immediately offering the Saints competition for second-year pro Brandon Coleman at the x-receiver (split end) position. As the nephew of former No. 1 overall pick Keyshawn Johnson and a two-year standout for the ultra-talented Buckeyes, Thomas also comes with relative pro-readiness compared to most rookies.

Drew Brees and Sean Payton are both high on Michael Thomas. USATSI

Typically, pro-readiness is a phrase used to describe a pass-catcher that runs reliable routes and catches the ball cleanly. Just as important in New Orleans might be tempering the expectations of rookies, who typically must adjust from being the featured target in college to just another cog in the offense at the professional level.

There won’t be the same transition for Thomas, who at times wasn’t fed the ball enough in Columbus, averaging “just” 55 grabs for 790 yards over his two starting seasons at Ohio State. He led the Buckeyes with 18 touchdowns receptions over that span, however, taking full advantage of his size, strength and timing to consistently win jump balls. These are complementary traits to the speed and quickness offered by young star Brandin Cooks and fellow playmaker Willie Snead.

Thomas is already turning heads, including that of his quarterback and head coach.

“His improvement over these six practices has been awesome,” Drew Brees said last week after his first week on the field with the rookie wideout.

“From day one until now, the same mistakes are not being made,” Brees continued.”He’s on to the next set of challenges, and he’s continuing to progress well.”

“I think he’s picking up what we’re doing and certainly spending a lot of time learning,” Payton said. “… I’d say he’s progressing really well.”

Other thoughts on the Saints’ 2016 draft class:

Thomas looks like a good bet to exceed expectations but there is no question that the Saints’ most important rookie is Rankins, the first player selected among a class of defensive tackles some scouts told me prior to the draft was the best they’d seen in 20 years. At 6-foot-1, 299 pounds, Rankins certainly wasn’t the biggest of the class but his ability to win one-on-one matchups up front has some of those same scouts predicting an Aaron Donald-like debut season for the former Louisville and Senior Bowl standout.

Donald was voted the Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Rams two years ago with 48 tackles, including nine sacks after also wowing in Mobile. With all due respect to new Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Carson Wentz, Rankins was the top player at the Senior Bowl, routinely disrupting the timing of plays because of his extraordinary initial quickness, balance and use of hands. Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen inherited a collection of players perhaps better suited to former defensive coordinator’s Rob Ryan’s 3-4 scheme, but Rankins is perfectly suited to the 4-3 and should provide immediate help to Pro Bowl defensive end Jordan Cameron.

With only five draft picks to work with, Saints’ general manager Mickey Loomis didn’t have many darts to throw but his scouts did extra work in undrafted free agency, especially along the line of scrimmage. Under Payton (and in part due to the remarkable awareness and quick release of Brees), the Saints have enjoyed great success with lower round and undrafted free agent offensive linemen and that trend could continue with this class, which featured two centers who normally would have been drafted in Jack Allen and Marcus Henry.

Each player slipped in 2016 in large part due to the rare talent at the position this year. Give Loomis and the Saints credit; even with limited draft picks, the club took advantage of the unique qualities of this draft, tapping the two most talented (and deep) positions of the draft with opposing strategies, tapping the extraordinary defensive tackle class with Rankins first and improving the offensive line with patience, as well. Don’t be surprised when at least one of the club’s undrafted free agents along the offensive line make the roster.

New Orleans’ 2016 draft class: