The Panthers used their last pick in the draft to select FIU corner Stantley Thomas-Oliver lll. They met with him a couple of times throughout the pre-draft process, including a Zoom meeting, so this is not a huge surprise.
Let’s get to know Thomas-Oliver a little better and look at how he fits in with a radically remade secondary.
Strengths:
Thomas-Oliver measured in at six-foot, 192 pounds at the NFL combine. He tested well as he ran a 4.48 forty yard dash, jumped 34 inches vertically and posted 127 inches in the broad jump. Thomas-Oliver is a converted receiver, and has only spent the past two seasons at corner. However, he has shown quality growth during that time and has some promising attributes. He does well breaking on the ball and has good ball skills to deflect a pass or pick it off. Thomas-Oliver also plays with tremendous physicality and toughness and is not afraid to stick his nose in to make a tackle or disrupt a pass. He possesses some pretty good hip flexibility and quick feet. The problem is that he doesn’t know quite know how to use that to his advantage. However, he is a good athlete that has all the standard traits that you expect from a pro corner.
Weaknesses:
Like most seventh-round draft picks, Thomas-Oliver is about as raw as it gets. Yes, the ball skills will translate and be a huge plus for him, but he will need to concentrate on improving his hip fluidity and footwork. He is naturally sticky in coverage and if he improves his ability to transition and flip his hips open fluidly, he will improve his coverage abilities. It will take a few years, but he could develop into a quality corner.
Fit with the Panthers:
Thomas-Oliver won’t provide much value in the first year or two, but if the Panthers stick with him he could turn into a quality defender. He has the size, athleticism and ball skills to become a solid outside cornerback. The best-case scenario is for him to follow the Josh Norman path and become a regular starter some day down the line.
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