Mike Thomas, front, covered by Adrian McCovy in practice, was first-team All-Pac-10 and third-team All-America in his junior season of 2007.

GREG BRYAN / arizona daily star

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Mike Thomas has stood tall during his college career, catching 185 passes for 2,406 yards and 18 touchdowns.

But in Thomas' mind, one issue is keeping him from the respect he deserves:

Height.

The Arizona Wildcats senior wide receiver stands 5feet8inches and is the smallest player on the team heading into the 2008 season, along with freshman tailback Keola Antolin.

The Wildcats have 11 wide receivers 6 feet tall or taller, but Thomas is on the other end of the spectrum.

He is literally smaller than a "Bug" — William Wright, the Cats' freshman receiver so nicknamed for his small stature at 5-9.

Thomas, a first-team All-Pac-10 selection and third-team All-American as a junior, is not going to apologize for his size. Thomas, 21, figures to be among the nation's most productive receivers as a senior, especially because he will be playing a new position, slot receiver, that should play to his strengths.

"I've got some God-given talent, and I'm going to capitalize on it," Thomas said. "A lot of guys are 6-2, 6-3 or what-have-you. It makes me play with that chip on my shoulder. It makes me want to play harder, go harder (and) practice harder so I can get on top of those 6-4, 6-5 dudes and get on their level."

In many ways, the communications major is already there. He led the Pac-10 with 83 receptions for 1,038 yards in 2007, 11 of them for touchdowns.

Thomas also emerged as UA's top rushing threat, gaining 173 yards on 10 attempts — most of them end-arounds and reverses. He returned 26 kickoffs for a team-high 615 yards.

"That guy's got so much talent," said Wright, who's behind Thomas on the depth chart. "I'm just trying to learn as much as I can from him before he leaves."

Thomas will line up in the slot for the first time as a senior, a move that speaks more to his big-play ability than any size issues.

Coach Mike Stoops wants Thomas and tight end Rob Gronkowski on opposite sides of the formation to keep teams from double-teaming both of them.

Stoops said the switch "presents a lot of matchup problems."

"It becomes a lot of matchups that we need to win," he said.

What happens to Thomas after the 2008 season is still up in the air. NFL teams do not typically draft small receivers — "When you watch the draft, you don't see a guy under 6 foot that goes anywhere," quarterback Willie Tuitama said, but will make exceptions for players who have proven themselves worthy.

The DeSoto, Texas-native need look no further than the two top wide receivers in UA history: Bobby Wade is 5-10, and Dennis Northcutt is an inch taller. Both parlayed solid senior seasons into multimillion-dollar NFL careers.

Thomas believes big numbers can outweigh some of his perceived shortcomings.

"I'm a confident guy," he said. "We'll see at the end."

● Eben Britton played left tackle again in practice and said he's having "a lot of fun" at his new position.

Britton will defend Tuitama's blind side after moving from the right side.

"It's the money spot for tackles. You've got your best pass-rusher coming off that side, so I'm excited for the challenge," Britton said.

Britton said his emphasis will stay the same.

"Whether I'm on the right or left, Willie's my priority," he said. "It's not any different now."

● Freshman tailback Greg Nwoko practiced for the first time after missing the team's first workout with eligibility issues. The Wildcats now have all their players in camp and academically eligible.

• Highlights: The Arizona Wildcats defense dominated Tuesday's practice. Safety Brandon Tatum and cornerback Trevin Wade intercepted passes during 7-on-7 drills. Defensive end Ricky Elmore and defensive tackle Solomon Koehler had sacks during 11-on-11s; Elmore also tipped a pass at the line of scrimmage. Tight end Rob Gronkowski continued to shine and grabbed more than a dozen passes in team drills. Freshman David Douglas and redshirt freshman Devin Veal showed soft hands. Freshman quarterback Matt Scott received plenty of playing time in just his second college practice and was predictably uneven. Scott completed six passes during team drills but also fumbled a handful of snaps and took a few sacks. UA coach Mike Stoops praised Scott's arm and said, "the game seems to come to him pretty easily."

• Weather: 84 degrees and muggy

• Vibe: Chippy — especially given the early hour. Defensive end D'Aundre Reed tangled with offensive tackle Adam Grant after the defense sacked Scott during a noncontact 11-on-11 drill. Elmore harassed the Cats' QBs all morning and so far appears to be living up to the coaches' high expectations.

• Injury report: Stoops reported no new injuries. Punter Keenyn Crier will miss the next three weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a cyst from his back. Defensive end Cory Elmore (heart surgery) and safety Michael Klyce (shoulder) will not play again because of medical issues but will remain on scholarship.

• He said it: "I really like what we're doing on defense. I think our players are coming to practice every day with an attitude and with something to prove, and that's good. Sometimes, change is good. I like our up-front guys, I like our athleticism at linebacker, and I think our corners played good." — Coach Mike Stoops