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Player: Zac Thomas
Pos: QB
Year: Senior
Height: 6-1
Weight: 210
Projection: 5th-7th round
Collegiate Career: Zac Thomas is one of the best to ever do it at Appalachian State. He finished his career being in the top 5 in almost every offensive statistical category: wins (third), TD passes (third), passing yards (fourth), TD responsible (fifth) and total offense (fifth). Thomas was a three-time All Sun-Belt Selection including being the Sun Belt’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2018.
Some of his best games were as follows. He threw for a career-best 326 yards against Troy in 2019 and ran for a career-best 109 yards at Louisiana-Monroe in 2020.
His first career start was one to remember as he helped take No. 9 Penn State to the brink in 2018 in an overtime thriller where App State just came up short.
Thomas came out of high school as a two-star prospect from Hewitt-Trussville. I had the chance to speak with him about why he chose App State.
Thomas said, “It’s the winning tradition that App has when you walk into the facility on your visit you see the banners and the trophies and that’s what hooks you as a player.”
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Pro Day: Thomas had been working with TEST Football Academy leading up to his pro day. TEST is one of the premier academies that helps athletes through providing workouts towards the NFL combine/draft, NFL offseason and youth football training programs.
Thomas said he was attempting to work on the following before his pro day, “Just trying to work more on accuracy and arm strength and just trying to deliver the ball to the best of my ability and putting it in a spot where the receiver can make a play with it.”
As I watched the pro day workout, Thomas showcased improvement with his velocity and accuracy. He demonstrated every throw required of an NFL quarterback. Some of the throws were solid while others were a touch off. His deep ball looked solid and presented different depth on his throws when it needed to be zipped in or have more touch. However, pro days do not showcase a true pass rush or tight coverage where he has struggled.
The most surprising was his 40-yard-dash time where he ran a 4.56. This showcased his dual-threat ability and speed which flew under the radar at App State. This presents a solid opportunity for him.
Draft Pros: As a draft prospect, you will be getting a winner and a competitor. Thomas may not check off every box as a prospect but he has some intangibles you cannot coach. He’s a true leader and takes command of the team along with a very strong work ethic. The Pro Day solidified him as a superior athlete and is a true dual-threat.
Draft Cons: A pro day does not showcase the ability to throw in tight windows which is one of the areas he’s admitted he needs to improve. Secondly, his ability to throw at multiple arm slots is not there either. Lastly, he is undersized which isn’t as big of a con as it used to be but it’s still worth mentioning. Those are questions he will need to answer in the interview process.
Draft Potential: I have Thomas like many as a late-round prospect. More than likely, he is a Day 3 draftee. His potential at the moment will be to compete for a backup spot on a squad. He did not get much exposure in college but he has impressed in all of the different various bowl weeks for draft prospects. He’s athletic which presents an opportunity as many teams have transitioned to looking for quarterbacks with the ability to keep plays alive with their legs. It will all come down to fit and need at that point of the draft.