Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas suffered more than just a knee injury when he tore his ACL.
The injury, which will drop his draft stock considerably, happened on one of his many workouts with individual teams.
According to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, Thomas was working out for the Saints when he tore his ACL in a non-contact drill.
Some thought Thomas could have been as high as a second round pick, but that won’t be the case now.
The question becomes how soon someone turns in a card with his name on it, knowing he’s a year away from contributing.
The 49ers did it last year with South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, using one of their extra fourth-rounders to redshirt him for a year.
Looking at the team with surplus picks might provide a clue as to who might use on on Thomas.
The Jets and Rams have 12 picks each, the Cowboys, Texans, Jaguars and 49ers each have 11, and the Falcons and Browns each have 10.
One of them might find it prudent to use a pick on Thomas, and hope he returns to form next year. That won’t replace the money he’s losing, however.