Ambry Thomas – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Ambry Thomas improving with more playing time

More playing time has been helpful for #49ers rookie CB Ambry Thomas.

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49ers rookie CB Ambry Thomas has seen his role expand since Emmanuel Moseley went down with an ankle injury. With Moseley likely out for the rest of the regular season, San Francisco needed one of their reserves to step up and Thomas has shown marked improvement since earning a start in Week 14 in Cincinnati.

While the 49ers’ defense faltered late in the team’s loss to the Titans on Thursday, Thomas had by far his best showing of the year. He was targeted five times and allowed just two catches for 42 yards and notched a pair of pass breakups per Pro Football Focus.

Thomas prior to Thursday allowed 13 catches on 15 targets for 250 yards with no pass breakups.

It’s clear the third-round pick is taking strides with his additional opportunities. His numbers in Week 13 weren’t good, and they were worse in Week 14 but his coverage was tighter in that one. He put it all together Thursday and combined good coverage with good ball skills and had the best game of his rookie year.

If Thomas can finish the year trending up, it puts the 49ers’ secondary in a much better spot going into next year when Jason Verrett and K’Waun Williams are both free agents. It’s also an indicator that playing time is helpful for young players who need to improve.

There’s a long way to go before Thomas can consistently be a good NFL starter, but his outings the last three weeks are a sign he’s on the right track to close his first season as a pro.

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Midseason grades for 49ers 2021 rookie class

Grading this #49ers rookie class through the first half of the year is kind of impossible, so we tweaked it a little.

The 49ers’ 2021 rookie class hasn’t contributed much as the team scuffled through the first half of its season. A 3-5 record falls well short of the expectations San Francisco had entering the year, but not a lot of the slow start can be attributed to anything this year’s draft class is doing on the field.

Part of the reason that group hasn’t contributed much to losing is because most of them haven’t been on the field enough to make an impact in any facet.

Of the 49ers’ eight draft picks – only one is a regular starter, and none of their first six selections see the field with any regularity. Because of the sporadic or minimal playing time, it’s hard to grade the picks through the first eight games.

We went through and issued grades less as a referendum on the player, and more as a way to assess how head coach Kyle Shanahan and the front office did in getting its roster ready to compete for a Super Bowl this year. That was their stated goal. It’s the reason Jimmy Garoppolo has been the starting quarterback since Week 1, and it’s the reason the lack of production from their rookie class has been so minimal.

Here are their grades based on what we know through eight games:

Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers: 5 matchups to watch on offense

The Eagles were one of the NFL’s biggest surprises in Week 1, and they’ll need another efficient and dominant performance upfront to defeat the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

With next week’s matchup against Dallas looming, here are five matchups to watch on offense for Week 2.

6 49ers to watch on defense in 2nd preseason game vs. Chargers

Here’s who we’re watching Sunday when the #49ers defense is on the field vs. the Chargers.

The 49ers’ starting defense looks for the most part on track to be ready for the season opener. There are a slew of depth issues yet to be resolved though, and how Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers goes could go a long way toward sussing out some of the roster questions still facing the club.

Finding depth on the defensive side will be key given how unproven a lot of those players are. Any reserve thrust into a starting situation is going to do so without a ton of playing experience. That’s why so many of the young players that were on our radar for the preseason opener will be on our list of players to watch in the second preseason contest against the Chargers.

49ers agree to terms with 3rd-round pick CB Ambry Thomas

The 49ers and CB Ambry Thomas have an agreement on the third-round pick’s rookie contract.

The 49ers now only have one member of their draft class left to sign. ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday reported CB Ambry Thomas and the 49ers agreed to terms on the third-round pick’s rookie contract. Quarterback Trey Lance is the lone player from this year’s draft that San Francisco has not hammered out contract details with.

Thomas was the No. 102 overall pick out the University of Michigan. He opted out of the 2020 season after missing the 2019 offseason because of a health issue. He came back with a strong 2019 campaign though where he posted 38 tackles, three interceptions and three pass breakups in 12 games as a junior.

Thomas’ draft slot is worth an estimated $4.7 million according to Spotrac. He figures to be the team’s first option off the bench at corner, and there’s an outside shot he could start if he puts together a strong training camp alongside Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley.

San Francisco agreed to terms with both of their third-round picks this week. RB Trey Sermon (No. 88 overall) also inked his four-year rookie deal. Now quarterback Trey Lance, the No. 3 overall selection, is the only player who left to hash out the minutiae of his first contract.

2021 NFL Draft: NFC West Roundup from rounds 2 and 3

The NFC West was busy on day 2 of the draft, accounting for 7 total picks in rounds 2 and 3 for the Seahawks, 49ers, Rams, and Cardinals.

The Seattle Seahawks had just one pick on the second day of the 2021 NFL draft, selecting WR D’Wayne Eskridge at no. 56 overall, but the rest of the division stayed busy throughout rounds two and three. Here’s a quick look at the latest non-Seahawk additions to the NFC West:

San Francisco 49ers

Round 2, Pick 48: G Aaron Banks, Notre Dame

Round 3, Pick 88: RB Trey Sermon, Ohio State

Round 3, Pick 102: CB Ambry Thomas, Michigan

The 49ers traded down in the second round and filled a need at guard with the massive Aaron Banks (6-foot-6, 330 pounds), then traded both of their fourth-round picks to the Los Angeles Rams in order to select running back Trey Sermon, who famously rushed for 331 yards in the 2020 Big 10 Championship game.

With their compensatory third-round pick, the 49ers acquired ball-hawk cornerback and return specialist Ambry Thomas, who should immediately compete for starting special-teams duties and develop behind starting corners Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley.

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Ambry Thomas comes to 49ers with chip on his shoulder

Michigan CB Ambry Thomas opted out in 2020, and that brings him to the San Francisco 49ers with a chip on his shoulder.

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Ambry Thomas opted out of the 2020 college football season, but he was almost forced to miss the 2019 campaign as well. The cornerback missed all of the 2019 offseason because of a bout with colitis that hospitalized him and caused him to lose 30 pounds.

He battled all the way back to not only play as a junior, but have his best college season with 38 tackles, three tackles for loss, and three interceptions to go with three pass breakups.

The COVID-19 pandemic led him to opt out of the 2020 campaign to prepare for the NFL draft. Thomas may have gone on Day 1 or 2 had he built on his strong junior year. Instead he slipped all the way to pick 102 where the 49ers scooped him up.

Thomas told Orion Sang of the Detroit Free Press he’d be entering the NFL with a chip on his shoulder and that he wasn’t worried about any rust after a year off.

“I’m ready to show everybody what I can do,” Thomas said. “I feel like I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. Because I feel disrespected through this whole process. I know what I bring to the table. I missed a whole offseason at Michigan and I still played how I played last year. I was on one week of practice when I got back. I know what I can do — I’ll put it like that.”

He also called himself a top-five cornerback in this draft class.

That might explain why the 49ers snatched him at the end of the third round. They needed cornerback help and Thomas has the talent to have been a much earlier pick. If he’s right and he does wind up becoming one of the best cornerbacks in this class, San Francisco might come away with one of the draft’s biggest steals.

49ers pick Michigan CB Ambry Thomas with final 3rd-round pick

Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas was the San Francisco 49ers’ fourth pick of the 2021 NFL draft.

The San Francisco 49ers with their second pick in Round 3 addressed their need in the secondary with Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas.

Thomas, 6-0, 185 pounds, might’ve gone sooner had he played in 2020, but he opted to sit out the campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He played well as a junior in 2019 with three of his four interceptions coming that year. He also broke up three passes.

It looked like the 49ers might look to address their secondary early on Day 2, but they waited until the 102nd overall pick – their final selection of the day.

Thomas projects long-term as a nickel corner, although the club may give him a look outside during his rookie campaign. Nickel corner K’Waun Williams re-signed this offseason on a one-year deal, so finding a replacement for him beyond 2021 should be a sizable priority for the 49ers. Thomas may fit that bill.

Detroit mock draft watch: Dane Brugler tackles the Lions 7-round mock

Dane Brugler from The Athletic gives his take on who the Detroit Lions could take in his 7-round mock draft

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With the much-anticipated release of his draft guide known as The Beast recently, Dane Brugler from The Athletic tackles a complete 7-round mock draft from Trevor Lawerence all the way to Mr. Irrelvant.

Taking on a complete 7-round mock is no easy feat, and Brugler tries slot players according to their team needs, scheme, and culture fit to the best of his abilities. Without further ado, below is his haul for the Lions.

1st round (7)- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

2nd round (41)- Terrace Marshall, WR, LSU

3rd round (72)- Divine Deablo, DS, Virginia Tech

3rd round (101)- Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

4th round (112)- Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan

5th round (153)- Daelin Hayes, Edge, Notre Dame

Even with Justin Fields and both Alabama receivers on the board, Brugler elected to build within the trenches and gave Detroit a young can’t miss prospect in Sewell. With the possibility of four quarterbacks selected to start the draft, Sewell has gained some popularity as a viable option for Detroit. At only 19 years old, Sewell will shore up the right side of the line opposite of Taylor Decker, possibly creating one of the top offensive lines in the league.

With Detroit seeing their receiver corps decimated over the off-season and filling the room with mostly one-year deal options, Detroit desperately needs fresh blood. Brugler gives them some help in the form of Terrence Marshall Jr. If any fan was missing Kenny Golladay, Marshall will essentially alleviate those feelings being an almost copy clone as the big-bodied receiver who thrives in contested catches.

Detroit’s cupboard at safety is looking bare, with only four players rounding out the depth chart. Fortunately, Brugler slots Divine Deablo as potential reinforcement in the secondary. Deablo was recently tagged as a potential option by own Jeff Risdon, highlighting his run-defending, blitz ability, and special teams ability. He is one of those linebacker/safety tweeners that you can play best on best against your opponent.

With the Lions linebacking corps going through a remodel of sorts, the new regime will be looking to inject some athleticism in the mix, and Brugler helps that out with the selection of Chaz Surratt. Also tagged as a fantasy option by Jeff Risdon, the former quarterback brings strong intelligence that gives him a leg up reading the opponent’s offense. With his athleticism, he will fit in perfectly as the Lions weakside linebacker.

With the recent signings for Quinton Dunbar and Corn Elder, the Lions have filled in some gaps in the cornerback corps that needed some addressing. Even though the Lions are not on the prowl for cornerbacks, they couldn’t go wrong with taking an upside corner who could start later down the road, and that is what Brugler does with the selection of Ambry Thomas. Even though his technique is questionable, he has the tools and mentality to compete for snaps in the future.

In the later parts of the drafts, you are taking a gamble on a player’s upside and see if you can get the most out of their potential. With Brugler’s selection of Daelin Hayes, that will be exactly what the Lions will be hoping for. Hayes could be drafted much earlier with his versatile nature as a hand in the dirt or stand-up rusher if it wasn’t for his history of shoulder issues. If the coaching staff can build up his strength and pass rush repertoire, he could find a spot as a rotational SAM linebacker.

Lions 2021 draft: A cornerback for every round

Expect the Lions to address the CB position at some point during the 2021 NFL draft

The 2021 NFL draft offers the Detroit Lions intriguing prospects across several position groups. One of the more important ones for the new-look Lions is cornerback.

Detroit signed veteran Corn Elder this week to help shore up the depth chart, but the Lions can still add more young help to the unsettled corps. Youngsters Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye has shown promise as the starting outside tandem, and Elder can handle the slot, but beyond that, the only other CB currently on the roster is Mike Ford, a special teams player.

Expect the Lions to address the CB position at some point during the draft. After tabbing Okudah at No. 3 overall in 2020, it’s unlikely GM Brad Holmes would dip back into the position at the No. 7 overall spot. But we’ll include an option anyway.

The players listed here are generally projected as fits in the top 10 picks of the round listed, where the Lions would select prior to any trades. Even though Detroit doesn’t currently have sixth or seventh-round picks, we still included a corner for each round.