[Hail2theskins]

he was an o lineman for wisco, he won the outland trophy this year for being the best college interior lineman, frankly i think dan mozes of WVU got the shaft on that award, all you have to do is look at wv's rushing numbers to realize we had an amazing o line.... anywho heres a scouts take on joe thomas:

Strengths: Possesses excellent height, big hands and adequate bulk. Still has room to add weight to his frame. He is extremely agile and athletic, especially for such a tall lineman. He displays good upper-body power and a powerful hand punch. Exceptional when asked to protect the quarterback's blindside. Gets set quickly in pass pro and stays very much under control. Rarely loses to speed off the edge. Stays balanced and shows the lateral mobility to work back inside versus athletic double moves. He takes solid angles as a run blocker and general gets very good positioning. He has become feistier with more experience and continues to improve his consistency when it comes to sustaining blocks.

Weaknesses: Despite a smooth recovery, there's still concern regarding long-term durability as a result of 2006 knee surgery. He lacks ideal lower-body bulk and strength. Plays with a narrow base at times and is susceptible to a powerful bull rush. He's not an overpowering run blocker and he can be a bit of a "finesse" blocker at times. Also, his arms are not as long as his massive frame would indicate.

Overall: Thomas played in 10 games as a true freshman in 2003, nine of which were as a blocking tight end before he switched over to defensive end for the Music City Bowl vs. Auburn. He took over as Wisconsin's starter at left tackle for the entire 2004 season (12 games). In 2005, Thomas once again started every game (13) for the Badgers at left tackle, earning consensus First Team All-Big Ten honors and several All-American recognitions. However, he did suffer a torn left ACL while filling in along the defensive line during Wisconsin's Capital One Bowl victory over Auburn. Thomas had off-season surgery and missed 2006 spring practice while rehabilitating. Just months removed from off-season knee surgery, Thomas looked a bit mechanical and seemed to lack confidence early in the 2006 season. However, he made huge strides as the season progressed and was fully returned to form by midseason. Thomas possesses an ideal combination of size, athleticism and upper-body power, which is why he projects as a future perennial starter at left tackle in the NFL. In our opinion, Thomas ranks as one of the elite prospects in the 2007 class and he should be off the board within the top-five overall selections.