NFL Rumors: Could the Kansas City Chiefs convert De’Anthony Thomas to defensive back?
By Jack Crosby
With the 124th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft on Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs went out and selected Oregon’s all-everything man, De’Anthony Thomas. For the past three years in Eugene, Thomas was one of the most explosive forces with the ball in his hands, both on the offensive side of the ball and in special teams returning kicks.
However as far as what he will do in the NFL with the Chiefs, that’s not really known at this point. At first glance, you would assume that with his speed, size and hands, he’ll more than likely play slot receiver, catching passes from Alex Smith.
But would a move to the defensive side of the ball, where he also excelled in high school, be a possibility? According to NFL Network analyst and former Texans GM Charley Casserly, that might actually be the best move for him.
“He came out of high school and a lot of people recruited him as a defensive back.” Casserly said on the NFL Network Thursday night. “He could convert to a slot corner. With his quickness and ability, that would be a move that could be beneficial to him. He might end up having a longer career.”
There’s no question that with the natural athlete Thomas is, he would transition to corner a bit more smoothly than others would, and given some of the shots that he would take as a slot receiver, Casserly in this case could be right about the move prolonging his career.
Plus, he’s always there to return kicks, too.