NFL

Career Recap: There were pretty big shoes to fill for Thomas as he replaced Tyrod Taylor as the Hokies’ starting quarterback. Taylor racked up a lot of wins in his career for Virginia Tech, but Thomas took college football by storm with a fabulous debut season in 2011. He set the school record for rushing…

Strengths: Kick blocking Very strong Physical Fast, surprising closing speed Explosion Steady motor Powerful bull rush Can play tackle Perfect fit as a 3-4 end Great length Extremely well put together Scheme versatility Huge upside Excellent weight room work ethic Mature, dedicated Weaknesses: Pad level Raw Inconsistent in shedding blocks Older, turns 26 in July…

Strengths: Cannon for an arm Quick release Plus mechanics Big pocket presence Great height Can make all the throws Good deep-ball thrower Huge upside Large hands Can get hot and dominate in stretches Displays a gunslinger mentality Book smart Weaknesses: Accuracy issues Decision-making Ball security, prone to interceptions Not mobile, statue in the pocket Takes…

Strengths: Excellent vision Good balance Body lean Patient runner Intelligence Finishes runs well Can pick up some yards after contact Good feet Nice cutting ability Ready to contribute in the NFL Strong ball security Decisive runner Stamina Experienced Weaknesses: Slow Not very physical Lacks burst Will need to improve blocking Not a lot of receiving…

Career Recap: Teammate Shaun Prater had the bigger name and received more attention for the 2011 NFL Draft, but Hyde was the better prospect. He entered the starting lineup as a sophomore on the other side from Prater after serving as a backup during his freshman season in 2009. Hyde had an excellent debut with…

Strengths: Extremely physical Very instinctive Fast, flies around the field Devastating hitter Can separate the ball from the receiver Takeaways Splash plays Ballhawk Very good in pass coverage in the deep part of the field Reads a quarterbacks’ eyes Good hands for a defensive back Covers a lot of ground in pass defense Solid run-defender…

Strengths: Excellent cutting ability Phenomenal blocker Quickness Shifty in the open field Can break off long runs Decisive runner Vision Surprising power and strength Physical runner; runs with authority Picks up yards after contact Good receiver Reliable hands Runs good routes Plays hurt Fresh legs; not a lot of wear-and-tear Stamina; runs well in second…

Strengths: Gamer Decision-making Field vision Accurate in college Willing to use his feet Experienced and fits well in a West Coast offense Improves the play of his teammates Distributes the ball to a variety of weapons Very good on touch passes Good footwork Tough Intelligent Confident Good work ethic; intangibles Leader Weaknesses: Hitch in delivery…

Career Recap: The Cornhuskers standout has been a tough runner the past two seasons. Burkhead broke out with a quality sophomore season in 2010 with 951 yards rushing (5.5 average) and seven touchdowns. Nebraska moved to the Big Ten last year, but its tougher run defenses didn’t hold him back in his second season. Burkhead…

Career Recap: Aboushi broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore in 2010. He started all 12 games for the Cavaliers at offensive tackle. Aboushi was at right tackle for the first five contests before he was moved to left tackle for the remaining seven games. Aboushi stayed at left tackle in 2011 and started…