FSU CB Azareye'h Thomas grabs 1st-round NFL Draft buzz after strong week of Senior Bowl
The start of NFL Draft season is well under way with the East-West Shrine Bowl having been played Thursday night and Senior Bowl practices now complete. And while several Seminoles have received praise from various draft analyst, one Seminole is generating first-round buzz.
NFL.com lead draft writer Eric Edholm released his first mock draft Friday morning, and he has FSU cornerback Azareye’h Thomas hearing a lot more of the Warchant in the future. Edholm lists Thomas as the 32nd overall pick, going to the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Thomas created a little buzz on Day 1 in Mobile (Senior Bowl practices) and fits the mold of a corner who can thrive in Steve Spagnuolo’s press-man-heavy system,” Edholm said.
If Thomas stays there or moves higher, it would mark Florida State’s second straight year of putting a defensive player in the first round of the draft, and the third in four years. Jared Verse went 19th overall to the Rams in 2024, and Jermaine Johnson was selected by the Jets in 2022.
Thomas decided to forgo his senior season with Florida State after his first full year as a starter with the Seminoles in 2024.
In 2024, Thomas was one of the most reliable players on the team. He gave up only 94 yards receiving all season, as well as no touchdowns in 354 coverage snaps.
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Overall, he ranked second on the team in tackles with 52, including 1.5 for loss, four pass breakups and an interception. He was named All-ACC Honorable Mention after the season.
The 6-foot-2, 198-pound cornerback has been turning heads at the Senior Bowl all week, gaining the attention of several media members who cover the draft.
“He was the best player on the field that I saw today regardless of any position,” former ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay stated on his podcast, ‘The McShay Show,’ on Tuesday. “You talk about easy speed and flipping your hips. He looked like it was like child’s play to him.”
Thomas is expected to continue his impressive draft prep by playing in the Senior Bowl on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at the University of Southern Alabama in Mobile.
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