Official Khyri Thornton Thread

[Brandon494]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/profiles/khyri-thornton?id=2543653

Draft Analysis:

"This guy flies all over the field. He can play inside, but he moves along the line of scrimmage. There's an energy, there's a motor." -- Mike Mayock


Overview

Played defensive tackle and fullback as a Florida prep. Attended Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia for one year. Originally committed to South Florida but was denied entry to the school despite meeting NCAA qualifying requirements. Enrolled instead at Southern Mississippi, redshirting in 2009. Played all 13 games in 2010 and recorded 17 tackles, five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In 2011, he appeared in 14 games, starting seven at defensive tackle, and tallied 24 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks with one pass batted and one forced fumble. Was Southern Miss’ primary defensive tackle in 2012, playing in 12 games (11 starts) and totaling 36 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and one sack with one pass batted, one interception and one forced fumble. Started 11 games in 2013 and had 39 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and one-half sack. In the Golden Eagles' home finale Nov. 23 against Middle Tennessee, he suffered a deep bone bruise to his right leg that caused some internal bleeding and was not able to play the following week. Team captain.

Analysis

Strengths
Flashes shock in his hands. Solid anchor strength. Versatile and lines up all along the front. Flashes speed and short-area burst to flatten down the line and close to the ball. Three-year starter.

Weaknesses
Has short arms and small hands. Could do a better job working off blocks, creating separation and protecting his legs. Tends to wear down and tire late in games and effort wanes. Needs to develop more pass-rush moves -- stays blocked too long. Relies too much on his upper-body strength. Can be late to locate the ball and needs to do a better job of feeling blocking pressure and anticipating. Misses a lot of tackles. Minimal sack production.

Bottom Line
Has the size, brute strength and enough agility to warrant interest as a developmental, rotational five-technique in an aggressize, zone-blitzing scheme such as the Jets, Ravens or Steelers. Versatility is a plus.

[woodbuck27]

In that second video the opposition OG ...NO. 46 ... must have been lost in some day dream on that play.

Talk about "frozen".

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm geniunely impressed by Thornton's highlights on ESPN. There was no good film to judge him on while I went through the prospects. At least, nothing I could find. Dude looks relatively quick and very powerful. He might be one of those gems that TT finds that I'm disappointed in when the pick is made. David Bahktiari and Mike Daniels were ones from the last two drafts that I felt this way about initially. It sounds like might fit as a 3-4 DE, so he'll add an unproven rotation at DE with Jones, Boyd, and Worthy (not including the guys forming the elephant position).

[Joemailman]

I'm geniunely impressed by Thornton's highlights on ESPN. There was no good film to judge him on while I went through the prospects. At least, nothing I could find. Dude looks relatively quick and very powerful. He might be one of those gems that TT finds that I'm disappointed in when the pick is made. David Bahktiari and Mike Daniels were ones from the last two drafts that I felt this way about initially. It sounds like might fit as a 3-4 DE, so he'll add an unproven rotation at DE with Jones, Boyd, and Worthy (not including the guys forming the elephant position).

I agree. I see more explosion than with a guy like Boyd. I figured he was just a Boyd clone until I say the tape. There are some reports of him getting fatigued late in games, but that shouldn't be an issue playing in a rotation. I'm sure he was playing a ton of snaps at Southern Miss.

[Carolina_Packer]

I agree. I see more explosion than with a guy like Boyd. I figured he was just a Boyd clone until I say the tape. There are some reports of him getting fatigued late in games, but that shouldn't be an issue playing in a rotation. I'm sure he was playing a ton of snaps at Southern Miss.

How do you view this guy in terms of our current roster? Who, if anyone, does he replace? Jolly? Is he just additional competition/depth for the DE rotation? Do you imagine he will be in mostly base or sub packages?

[Joemailman]

How do you view this guy in terms of our current roster? Who, if anyone, does he replace? Jolly? Is he just additional competition/depth for the DE rotation? Do you imagine he will be in mostly base or sub packages?

I think we've seen the last of Jolly. It's hard to say right now exactly where he fits in because of the state of flux the DL is in with the signing of Peppers and moving Raji back to NT. It sounds like his versatility is something the Packers really liked.

[Carolina_Packer]

If it work out, then kudos to the scouting staff for finding guys like this. Prospects like this are likely overlooked, certainly by the casual fan, but even the fan who does a mock draft or two. Losing program, lower profile conference...easy to overlook.

[pbmax]

He penetrates like Worthy but instead of it being all initial burst, he uses his arms and hands very well.

I am always wrong about this but I am with Harv, I think we are not going to see dual jumbo/NT on the field much anymore except in short yardage or versus the Jets. They be two true DE/DT with some length and penetration now.

I do wonder where the depth at NT is coming from. Pickett resigned? Boyd?

I know enough to know I know nothing about these picks and Thompson has earned some trust. But his record in the 4th round is better than the 3rd I think.

[bobblehead]

He penetrates like Worthy but instead of it being all initial burst, he uses his arms and hands very well.

I am always wrong about this but I am with Harv, I think we are not going to see dual jumbo/NT on the field much anymore except in short yardage or versus the Jets. They be two true DE/DT with some length and penetration now.

I do wonder where the depth at NT is coming from. Pickett resigned? Boyd?

I know enough to know I know nothing about these picks and Thompson has earned some trust. But his record in the 4th round is better than the 3rd I think.

But this is a remarkably deep draft, so his 3rd should be viewed like the second. If he had taken a WR in the 3rd I'd be pimping the guy

[pbmax]

Pete Dougherty @PeteDougherty 8m
MM how feel about d-line: feel very good, can't have enough big guys. like thornton's energy, play 3 technique and potentially nose.

[esoxx]

Pete Dougherty @PeteDougherty 8m
MM how feel about d-line: feel very good, can't have enough big guys. like thornton's energy, play 3 technique and potentially nose.

It will be up to Capers to figure out how best to use Thornton.

What could go wrong?

[wist43]

It will be up to Capers to figure out how best to use Thornton.

What could go wrong?

Well, lol... dunderdummy took what I thought was a pretty damn talented front seven - and puked up on of the worst defenses in the league.

Since he misused every guy TT has given him - why would anyone expect Thorton to be any different??

Notice all those highlight clips... does anyone see Thorton playing from any 2 man lines?? He's going to sit a lot - probably be inactive most weeks, unless there are injuries. If he does suit up on Sunday, and we don't have a lot of injuries - who is dunderdummy going to make inactive?? D. Jones, Neal, Raji, Daniels, Boyd, Guion, Worthy??

As long as dunderdummy is our DC, defensive linemen don't matter.

[Fritz]

Wist, as I wrote in another thread I posted, whether or not I do or don't like Capers, I'm trying to figure out if there has been some fundamental shift in the philosophy of the function of the D-line, given that the team now features so many quick, penetrating guys.

[Pugger]

Some were disappointed we didn't nab Borland because of his motor and being around the ball but Thornton could end up being even better in the long run.

[Fritz]

I myself am in the camp of wondering why so many people here were clamoring for Borland while also criticizing his doeppelganger, AJ Hawk.