Career
• Made 102 tackles, 41 solo, in 38 career games with 31 starts and six tackles for loss.
• Three-year starter that became one of the emotional senior leaders of the 2016 team.
2016
• Earned the Mental Toughness Award from the Chicago Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
• Finished the season with a career-best 38 total tackles, 13 solo, in 12 games with eight starts.
• His 38 tackles were 20 more than any other interior defensive lineman and ranked second on entire D-line.
• Tallied two tackles for loss for five total yards, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup on the season.
• Named Most Inspirational Player by NIU coaching staff.
• Recorded career-high seven tackles at Eastern Michigan (11-16).
• Made five tackles in the season finale at Kent State (11-25).
• Registered a season high four solo stops versus Central Michigan (10-15) and made five total tackles.
• Finished the season with at least one tackle in every game except Buffalo (10-22).
• Had four tackles in the Bowling Green game (11-1) and a season-best three solo tackles versus Western Michigan (10-8).
2015
• Played in 11 games, starting the first 10 before going down with an injury.
• Finished fourth among NIU defensive linemen with 26 total tackles, 12 solo.
• Tallied 1.5 tackles for loss.
• Had at least one tackle in nine games with multiple stops in six contests.
• Recorded a career-high six tackles at Toledo (11-3) with five solo.
• Named NIU Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Rockets, which also included a solo tackle for loss.
• Figured in five total tackles the previous game versus Eastern Michigan (10-24), which was a new career high at the time.
• Assisted on a tackle for loss against the Eagles as well.
• Tied his high total from the previous season with four total stops against Murray State (9-12) and again at Boston College (9-26).
2014
• Appeared in all 14 games, starting the final 13 contests at nose guard.
• Led all NIU interior defensive linemen with 35 total tackles, 13 solo.
• Had 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
• Made his first collegiate start at Northwestern (9-6), making three tackles and earning NIU Defensive Lineman of the Week honors.
• Recorded 11 multi-tackle games, including four stops at Arkansas (9-20), versus Toledo (11-11), at Western Michigan (11-28) and in the Boca Raton Bowl against Marshall (12-23).
• Had two tackles for loss against Toledo (11-11), including his first career sack.
• Also recorded half a tackle for loss at Ball State (11-5).
• Forced a key fumble on the NIU goal-line that Dechane Durante recovered in the MAC-West clinching win at Western Michigan (11-28).
2013
• Appeared in one game versus Eastern Michigan (10-26).
2012
• Redshirted.
• Named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Week after the UT Martin (9-8) and Toledo (11-14) games.
High School
• Earned all-conference honors after his junior season.
• Named all-area by Tom Lemming of MaxPreps.com after totaling 66 tackles and six sacks as a junior.
• Team captain during his senior year.
• Earned all-city honors as a sophomore at Lindblom.
• Team MVP for the Eagles' water polo team as a junior.
Personal
• Born Dec. 3, 1993, in Chicago, Ill.
• English major.
THOMAS' SINGLE GAME CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 6, at Toledo, 11-3-15
Sacks: 1.0, vs. Toledo, 11-11-14
Tackles For Loss: 2, vs. Toledo, 11-11-14
