For Demaryius Thomas, the biggest surprise of the NFL draft might not have been that he was selected by the Broncos at No. 22 overall. It was that the league wanted him to be at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the Thursday event.
“When I got invited, I was shocked,” Thomas said.
Perhaps that’s because Thomas, a wide receiver from Georgia Tech, was somewhat under the radar in the months leading up to the draft, overshadowed by Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant and unable to work out at the NFL combine or Tech’s pro day because of a broken bone in his left foot.
“When I broke my foot, everything changed,” Thomas said.
Thomas injured his foot about a week before he was supposed to head to Indianapolis for the combine, and he was still wearing a walking boot when scouts and coaches showed up for Georgia Tech’s pro day.
Turns out Thomas’ game film at Georgia Tech was good enough to assure the NFL of his draft worthiness and convince Broncos coach Josh McDaniels that Thomas can replace the recently departed Brandon Marshall.
Thomas, 22, played in Tech’s option offense — a run-heavy game — but still managed to catch 46 passes for 1,154 yards this past season, at 25.1 yards per catch.
“I think I’ll fit in well,” Thomas said. “I’m a playmaker.”
Thomas left Georgia Tech in January after the conclusion of his junior year believing he could be a top pick in the draft, but little of his predraft experience went according to plan after that. Thomas was in the final preparations for the combine in February when he felt a “pop” in his left foot when he was doing a three-cone drill.
He had broken the fifth metatarsal in his foot, and within days, he had surgery. He spent March and much of April going through rehab and said he is “90 percent” healed.
He wasn’t ready to run a 40-yard dash when he worked out for about 10 teams — but not the Broncos — in Atlanta last Sunday, but was able to do other drills. The following day, Thomas met with McDaniels and Broncos general manager Brian Xanders for several hours. In that meeting, McDaniels grilled Thomas about the Broncos’ offense and had Thomas learn several of Denver’s receiver positions.
That meeting reinforced to McDaniels that Thomas was the top receiver on Denver’s draft board.
“We graded him highly the entire spring,” McDaniels said. “He’s a player that has some unique traits and skills.”
Thomas was the first wide receiver drafted in 2010, two spots ahead of Bryant, who fell to Dallas at No. 24.
Thomas immediately fills a major void on the roster since the Broncos traded No. 1 receiver Marshall to the Miami Dolphins last week.
Thomas and Marshall have some physical similarities. Thomas is 6-feet-3 and 229 pounds, shorter than Marshall but the same weight. Thomas immediately becomes the biggest wide receiver on Denver’s roster, and potentially its best deep threat. Thomas recently told reporters in Atlanta that he ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash before suffering the foot injury.
“He gives us the opportunity to have a bigger receiver and makes some match-up problems,” McDaniels said.
Thomas said he understood that people might question his ability to transition to the NFL because of the unorthodox offense he played in in college. In Paul Johnson’s option attack, Thomas was not asked to run traditional wide receiver routes.
Thomas joins a receiver corps in Denver that includes veterans Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Stokley and younger players Eddie Royal and Kenny McKinley.
“I’m looking to come in and learn stuff from the guys that are already there so I can be successful like Brandon Marshall was in that offense,” Thomas said.
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
BEST
Raiders made the right call
The Rams did right by taking Sam Bradford No. 1. Bradford was the most accurate passer in this year’s draft and some scouts have said he’s the most accurate college passer since Troy Aikman. But the surprise came with Oakland. After years of taking the biggest risk in the draft’s opening round, the Raiders played it straight in grabbing Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain, left, at No. 8. McClain is big, tough and has plenty of football smarts. Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban is respected in NFL circles, and he called McClain one of the smartest players he has been around. At 254 pounds, McClain was the biggest inside linebacker prospect on the board in a year when many at the position are undersized.
WORST
Alualu at No. 10 is a big reach
California defensive tackle Tyson Alualu is on the list, going 10th to Jacksonville, but the Broncos probably jumped farther out on the limb when they closed out their night by selecting Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Minnesota and Buffalo also were poised to take Tebow in the opening round, with the Bills trying to move back in the opening round to do it. Tebow is a proven winner who has all the intangibles coaches adore. But he is not ready to be an NFL starter and will need time to develop. It’s a developmental pick taken in a slot where players are looked to have immediate impact. There also is the matter of what Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn think of all this, as the competition already is underway. Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post
Making big waves
The Broncos entered Thursday with the No. 11 pick. Then the fun started:
1. Trade with San Francisco to No. 13, gained a fourth-round pick.
2. Trade with Philadelphia to No. 24, gained two third-rounders.
3. Trade with New England for No. 22, gave up a fourth-rounder.
4. Picked WR Demaryius Thomas of Georgia Tech at No. 22.
5. Trade with Baltimore for No. 25, gave up a second-, a third- and a fourth-rounder.
6. Picked QB Tim Tebow of Florida at No. 25.
Broncos today: One pick in second round, two in the third: Nos. 45, 80 and 87.
Top 10
Here are the top picks in Round 1 of the NFL draft:
1. St. Louis
QB Sam Bradford, Okla.
2. Detroit
DT Ndamukong Suh, Neb.
3. Tampa Bay DT Gerald McCoy, Okla.
4. Washington OT Trent Williams, Okla.
5. Kansas City SS Eric Berry, Tenn.
6. Seattle OT Russell Okung, Okla St. 7. Cleveland CB Joe Haden, Florida
8. Oakland LB Rolando McClain, Ala.
9. Buffalo RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson
10. Jacksonville DT Tyson Alualu, Cal
