Joe Thomas (American football)

Infobox NFLactive


|currentteam=Cleveland Browns
currentnumber=73
currentposition=Offensive tackle
name=Joe Thomas
birthdate=birth date and age|1984|12|4
birthplace=Brookfield, Wisconsin
heightft=6
heightin=6
weight=313
debutyear=2007
debutteam=Cleveland Browns
highlights=
* 1x Pro Bowl selection (2007)
* 2006 Outland Trophy Winner
college=Wisconsin
draftyear=2007
draftround=1
draftpick=3
pastteams=
* Cleveland Browns (2007-"present")
statweek=17
statseason=2007
statlabel1=Games Played
statvalue1=16
statlabel2=Games Started
statvalue2=16
statlabel3=Fumbles Recovered
statvalue3=0
nfl=THO236114

Joe Thomas (born on December 4, 1984 in Brookfield, Wisconsin) is an American football player as an offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was selected to the 2008 Pro Bowl, the first Browns left tackle selected to the Pro Bowl since Doug Dieken in 1980.

High school career

He played right tackle, defensive end, tight end, fullback, placekicker and punter.

He was listed among the top 20 offensive tackles nationally, a PrepStar All-American, second-team All-America offensive guard according to "USA Today", member of "Detroit Free Press" All-Midwest team, "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel" first-team all-state defensive lineman and second-team all-state offensive guard as a junior, and also received first-team all-state honors at DE from Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) and Associated Press. He was also a great defensive player winning the WFCA 2002 Defensive Player of the Year. He had 85 tackles and 12 sacks as a senior. As a junior, he had 70 tackles and 8 sacks. He was listed as the third best prospect in the state of Wisconsin in 2003. In track and field, Thomas of Brookfield Central High School set the school record for shotput and discus with throws of 64'10" and 185'7".

Aside from his athletic prowess, Thomas performed well academically. He was a 4-year honor roll student and a part of the U.S. Army Academic All-America team and played in the 2003 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Notre Dame vied for his recruitment before he signed his letter of intent to Wisconsin in January 2003.

College career

As a true freshman that fall, he mostly saw action as a blocking tight end. In 2004, he started all 12 games at left tackle, helping the Badgers' ground game with Anthony Davis and Matt Bernstein in the backfield.

In 2005, Barry Alvarez's final season, he started all 13 games at left tackle and was named a first team All-American by "Pro Football Weekly". He blocked for Brian Calhoun, who had a monster year, racking up 1,500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards. Thomas considered declaring for the 2006 NFL Draft, where he was projected among the top 15 picks (and projected as the second offensive lineman behind Virginia prospect D'Brickashaw Ferguson). The Badgers were invited to the Capital One Bowl against Auburn, where they prevailed 24-10. Unfortunately, Thomas tore his ACL playing defensive end because of injuries to other players at the position. The Badgers finished that season 10-3 with a #15 national ranking. Soon after the game, Thomas announced that he would be returning to Wisconsin for his final year.

His senior season in 2006 began with high expectations. He was named a preseason All-American, and was on the watch lists for several postseason awards, including the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award. As the offensive captain, he started all 13 games and blocked for P. J. Hill, Jr., who racked up over 1,500 yards on the ground.

Following the regular season, Thomas won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman (includes both offense and defense). The Associated Press awarded him placement on its All-American first team at tackle, along with Michigan's Jake Long. Thomas was a consensus 2006 All-American selection.

Thomas and the Badgers were again invited to the Capital One Bowl, this time against Arkansas. The Badgers prevailed 17-14 and finished the season 12-1, a school record for wins in a single season.

Thomas also excelled at shotput for the Badgers' track and field team.

He was a business major.

Pro career

The Cleveland Browns drafted Thomas in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft (3rd overall) to fill a dire need on the team's offensive line. The Thomas pick ended much speculation that the Browns would choose other players including former Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn with the 3rd overall pick in the draft, whom they traded up to get later with the 22nd pick of the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Instead of attending the 2007 draft festivities in New York, Thomas chose to continue a family tradition and go fishing on Lake Michigan with his father. He found out he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns by cell phone. [http://www.sportingnews.com/experts/joe-thomas/blog/] .

Thomas signed a 6-year contract worth $43 million, $23 million guaranteed, including a voidable year, with the Browns. Thomas won the starting left tackle job, with previous Browns left tackle Kevin Shaffer moving to right tackle. He made his NFL debut versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 1 and played every offensive snap for the Browns in 2007. Thomas quickly became one of the top-performing members of the '07 draft class and was named the NFL's Rookie of the Month for November. Thomas was selected to the 2008 Pro Bowl, replacing Jason Peters of the Buffalo Bills.

He is one of many tackles who give up some size to add speed, being more use full in protecting the quarterback, but weaker in the running game. Other successful tackles who fit in this category include Matt Light, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Levi Jones, Jammal Brown, and Travelle Wharton.

Thomas came in second in the voting for NFL Rookie of the Year. He was the only other person to receive votes other than the eventual winner, Adrian Peterson.

Personal

Thomas is an avid outdoorsman. Along with "Plain Dealer" outdoors writer D'Arcy Egan, Thomas hosts the television program "Outdoors Ohio" on SportsTime Ohio.

External links

* [http://www.uwbadgers.com/news_stories/story/joe72.aspx/ Joe Thomas Wisconsin Badger Bio]
* [http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/player.php?id=2879 Browns Player Bio]