Is Earl Thomas the Best Safety in the 2010 NFL Draft?

Safety Earl Thomas of Texas is rising up draft boards at blazing speeds, and some now believe that Thomas could possibly be a better prospect at safety than the highly-coveted Eric Berry. Thomas is a high character player – something the Browns love – and is known for being an extremely athletic and physical ballhawk. His versatility is certainly something worth mentioning, as he could also potentially play cornerback in the NFL.

As Thomas continues to garner praise by many draft experts, some wonder if, with the seventh pick, the Browns should select Thomas. Here’s the problem with Thomas, though. He is relatively inexperienced, having entered the NFL Draft as a sophomore, and is a bit undersized at 5’10”. While undersized players have certainly thrived in the secondary in the past, one wonders if Thomas, even with all of his upside, would be worth the seventh overall pick.

I still have a hard time believing that Earl Thomas is a better pro prospect than Eric Berry, but Thomas would be an interesting pick later in the first round. If the Browns do trade the seventh pick, Thomas becomes a much more believable pick, even if he will be a project at the start of his career.