The majority of NFL fans don’t yet know the Browns’ 67th overall pick from the 2018 draft.
A defensive end who was slotted to be a fourth- or fifth-round pick was taken with the third pick in the third round. Chad Thomas, who is also professionally known as Major Nine, has made quite a name for himself both on and off the football field.
Off The Field:
Before he was drafted by the Browns, Thomas enjoyed a successful music career as a producer. He was introduced to Florida rapper Rick Ross while in high school. Ross knew Thomas had a drive to work with music which led to Ross eventually being a part of songs produced by Thomas. That isn’t the only celebrity Chad Thomas has produced music for. Raphael Saadiq is another artist who has worked with Major Nine in the production of their music.
The other part of his musical identity is that he can play nine instruments. This is just another one of his characteristics which lead to him being labeled a “superhuman” by some.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC7dMA1X7G0
On the Field:
Chad Thomas is a 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive end. Thomas experienced his breakout year as a junior at Miami. This is when he started getting NFL scouts’ attention. In his senior year at Miami, he was able to play every game for the first time in his college career. He had 12.5 tackles for loss to go along with 4.5 sacks and three pass deflections.
His combination of power and speed is rare, even among the NFL’s best defensive linemen. He has an excellent range thanks to his lateral quickness. Thomas possesses a booming burst to close out quarterbacks and running backs when he locks them in.
Thomas may find himself also playing some defensive tackle for the Browns in 2019. His speed on the interior and ability to get after the quarterback could give offenses nightmares on passing downs. His pure athleticism is one of his defining qualities.
The Cleveland Browns and John Dorsey were looking for a defensive end who could help set the edge but also play physical against the run. That is exactly what they got in Chad Thomas.
When talking about adding Thomas, Cleveland’s Vice President for Player Personnel, Andre Berry, said, “We think his run defense will play immediately in the NFL as a left end in our system. He can kick down inside and rush the passer from inside, as well. We are really excited to add him to the team and think his best football is in front of him.”
Originally, the Browns did not have a third-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, as they sent their pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for quarterback Tyrod Taylor. However, a trade down with the Indianapolis Colts gave Cleveland the 67th and 178th picks.
Will Cleveland moving back into the third round to get Thomas end up paying off?
It will be interesting to watch the development of Chad Thomas and his integration into the Cleveland defense in 2019.
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