Draft notes: Jemea Thomas getting interest

1. Former Georgia Tech defensive back Jemea Thomas has interested parties.

Thomas’ agent, Kevin Conner, said that “three or four” NFL teams have arranged to work out Thomas. Thomas will do position drills, as well as a handful of agility drills that he sat out at the NFL draft combine in Indianapolis last week, at Tech’s pro day March 28. In a private workout, teams will typically send a position coach or coordinator to conduct additional drills.

Conner said he and Thomas are undecided on whether he will run the 40-yard dash again. Thomas finished in 4.55 seconds at the combine, tied for 24th among 48 defensive backs, but Conner said he was hand-timed as fast as 4.49. After the run, Thomas shared his disappointment in his time on his Facebook page.

He did well in other tests, notably his 19 reps on the 225-pound bench press (tied for eighth among all defensive backs). He sat out three drills, the 3-cone drill, the 20-yard shuttle and the 60-yard shuttle, which he will do at the pro day. Conner said he was ready to do them, but said the tests were rushed at the combine and so he elected to wait. Many defensive backs did likewise.

2. Former Tech defensive end Jeremiah Attaochu could be taken in the NFL draft as early as the second round, according an analysis from the National Football Post.

A detailed report on the All-American praised his pass-rush ability, competitiveness, quickness and instincts.

“He has the quick feet and quick hands to use moves and redirect his charge and is explosive coming off blocks to close,” Greg Gabriel wrote.

He also raised concerns about Attaochu’s strength at the point of attack.

“While he has quick hands, he can be slow getting off run blocks, and there are times I have seen him driven back by blockers,” Gabriel wrote.

Gabriel predicted that Attaochu should start early in his career. He was given a grade of 6.6 A, meaning "a player you would draft in the first two rounds," and rated the No. 7 outside linebacker in the draft.

It is a little higher than other pre-draft analysis regarding Attaochu, which has placed him around the third round. Attaochu’s agent, Pat Dye Jr., said that he expected he would be drafted somewhere between the bottom half of the second round and the end of the fourth.

Attaochu is recovering from a partial hamstring tear suffered at the Senior Bowl, as well as a wrist injury.