Azareye'h Thomas CB Florida State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Azareye'h Thomas CB Florida State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/19/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.50 seconds (48%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.7 DOB: 07/06/2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | |
| Last Updated: 02/19/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.50 seconds (48%*) | |
| Age: 20.7 DOB: 07/06/2004 | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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| Overall Rating: | 85.2 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 65.1 | |
| Tackling: |
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68% |
| Run Defense: |
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71% |
| Coverage: |
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82% |
| Zone: |
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77% |
| Man/Press: |
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80% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#62
Position rank:
#11
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| College Games: 36 College Snaps: 1502 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
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247 RATING: 94/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coby Bryant - Cincinnati |
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86% |
| Joey Porter Jr. - Penn State |
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84% |
| Eli Ricks - Alabama |
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83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Azareye'h Thomas emerged from Niceville, Florida as a dynamic two-way player who tormented opposing offenses while moonlighting as an explosive offensive weapon. The Northwest Florida Daily News Large Schools Defensive Player of the Year dominated his junior season, refusing to surrender a single touchdown in coverage while contributing over 800 yards and 17 touchdowns on offense his senior year. Football wasn't his only calling card – Thomas showcased his athleticism as one of the district's premier long jumpers and a standout on the basketball court.After arriving at Florida State as a consensus four-star recruit, Thomas quickly carved out a role in the Seminoles' secondary. His trajectory accelerated dramatically in 2023, appearing in all 14 games and recording 29 tackles with 10 pass breakups. The momentum carried into 2024 where he started all 12 games, racking up 52 tackles and earning All-ACC Honorable Mention honors while serving as game captain in pivotal matchups against Clemson, North Carolina and Notre Dame.
Thomas's development at Florida State mirrors his high school versatility – displaying the physicality to contribute in run support while maintaining the fluid athleticism that made him a threat on offense. His emergence as a leader in 2024, evidenced by the Bobby Bowden Leadership Award, showcases a maturity that's particularly impressive given he's just starting to scratch the surface of his potential at the position.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional length paired with quick-twitch athleticism allows him to shrink passing windows and affect throws even when slightly out of position in coverage
- Shows advanced route recognition from off coverage, particularly against quick game concepts where he consistently jumps underneath routes with explosive closing speed
- Natural mirroring ability in press coverage stands out on tape - patient feet and fluid hips let him match releases without defaulting to grabbing
- Rare combination of size and fluidity for the position - changes direction like a smaller corner while maintaining the length to challenge bigger receivers
- Excels at using the sideline as an extra defender, consistently funneling vertical routes toward his help and limiting space for receivers to operate
- Demonstrates veteran savvy with hand usage through the route stem, subtly directing receivers' paths without drawing flags
- High-level competitive toughness shows up repeatedly against the run - triggers downhill aggressively and shows no hesitation taking on larger blockers
- Special teams experience across all units adds immediate value while he develops - size/speed combination makes him a potential gunner day one
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Press technique remains inconsistent - powerful punch when landed but accuracy wavers, leading to compromised positioning against cleaner releases
- Occasional lapses in tackling fundamentals appear in space - relies too heavily on arm tackles rather than breaking down and driving through contact
- Ball production doesn't match his disruptive abilities - needs to convert more deflections into turnovers at the next level
- Can get grabby when beat vertically, particularly against double moves where initial patient technique abandons him
- Takes overly aggressive angles pursuing outside runs, creating cutback lanes that negate his physical advantages in run support
Scouting Report: Summary
Put on the tape and you'll see why Thomas has scouts intrigued - he's got some serious juice in that 6'2" frame. Shows up ready for a fight in press coverage, throwing hands like a boxer and running stride for stride with receivers down the field. But dig deeper into the film and you'll catch the warts that push him to the early third round. Gets caught peeking in the backfield and will lose his lunch money against crafty route runners who can set him up with double moves.You've got to love the way Thomas carries himself between the lines - plays with that dog mentality you want in your boundary corner. Showed up huge against Notre Dame, battling through every snap and making life miserable for their outside receivers. But then you flip on that Duke tape and watch him whiff on three open-field tackles, reminding you he's still raw around the edges. Has all the tools in the shed to be a problem for NFL receivers, but needs to sharpen every single one of them.
Early third round feels right for a corner who flashes big-time ability but isn't ready for prime time yet. Give him two years with a patient DB coach who can clean up his footwork and teach him to trust his eyes, and you might have yourself a legitimate starter on the boundary. But anyone expecting him to lock down their WR1 out the gate is setting themselves up for disappointment.
Azareye'h Thomas percentiles vs other Cornerbacks (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Azareye'h Thomas (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
57.8
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
16.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.