Today’s questions about the Broncos come from Fred Waiss.
Q: Was defensive tackle Marcus Thomas kicked off his college team? And is it possible to tell how a player will respond to a change in scenery and coaching?
A: There is no definitive way to know which players with a history of trouble can stay out of trouble once they’re in the NFL. But teams use behavior experts, psychological testing and face-to-face interviews, and they do extensive background checks on prospects before the draft each year.
An established coaching staff on a team with stable, hands-off ownership might be more willing to take a chance on a player who’s been in some trouble as a trade-off for talent.
Talent is the starting point. A player with a lot of talent gets second, third, even fourth chances.
Two of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft are North Alabama’s Janoris Jenkins and Oregon’s Cliff Harris. Jenkins was kicked off the team at Florida and transferred to North Alabama, a Division II school. Harris was kicked off Oregon’s team.
In 2007, when he was coaching the Broncos, Mike Shanahan traded to move up and pick Thomas in the fourth round. Shanahan said Thomas “had first-round talent.” The Broncos gave up sixth- and seventh-round picks in the 2007 draft and a third-round pick in the 2008 draft to acquire Thomas. That was a high price for a player who had been thrown off Florida’s team because he failed drug tests and didn’t attend drug rehabilitation classes.
Shanahan said of Thomas at the time: “He comes in here knowing there is no second chance in the National Football League. He’s a good football player, a guy who we think a lot of.”
Thomas has been a starter for most of his career, but he hasn’t performed like the player with a first-round grade. In 2008, just after the conclusion of his rookie season, Thomas was arrested in Florida when police found cocaine and handgun in a pickup truck he was riding in. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance. Thomas’ lawyer said Thomas had no knowledge of the cocaine and the driver later told the police that the cocaine belonged to him, not to Thomas. Thomas quickly took a drug test after his release on bond the night of his arrest, so he could give the results to the Broncos. He didn’t test positive. That move probably saved his spot on the roster and helped him avoid an NFL suspension.
The Broncos have said that they haven’t had more issues with Thomas, who’s now an unrestricted free agent.
Jeff Legwold: jlegwold@denverpost.com
