Biography
• Leads all current Huskies with 186 career tackles, 20.0 for loss in 45 career games.
2023
• Started every game at defensive end as a junior.
• Finished the season with a team-leading 74 tackles, the most by any defensive lineman in the country.
• Only FBS defensive lineman to lead his team in tackles, and the first NIU defensive lineman in school history to lead the Huskies in tackles on the season.
• Added a pair of quarterback sacks and his 7.5 tackles for loss led the Huskies.
• Recorded at least three tackles in every game.
• Named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after making nine tackles with one for loss in the win at Kent State (11-25).
• Contributed six tackles and was in on a sack in the Camellia Bowl win over Arkansas State (12-23).
• Made six tackles versus both Eastern Michigan (10-21) and Ball State (11-7) with a half tackle for loss against the Cardinals.
• Recorded five stops versus Ohio (10-14).
• Led all players with 11 tackles versus Tulsa (9-23) with a tackle for loss and half a sack.
• The 11 tackles, including seven solo stops and four assists, were the most by a Huskie defensive lineman since 2013 (Ken Bishop, 11 vs. Toledo).
• Credited with five tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup at Nebraska (9-16).
• Has recorded at least five tackles in a game 15 times in his career.
• Totaled four tackles, including two for loss and his first sack of the year against Southern Illinois (9-9).
• Had five stops and two quarterback hurries in NIU’s overtime win at Boston College (9-2).
• A preseason Second Team All-MAC choice by Phil Steele and preseason third team All-MAC by PFF and Athlon.
• Earned CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC Honors.
• Named Defensive Most Valuable Player following 2023 spring practices.
2022
• Played in all 12 games with 11 starts at defensive end.
• Honored as the team’s defensive lineman of the year following the season.
• Totaled 44 tackles, led the Huskies with 9.0 tackles for loss and broke up three passes.
• Credited with at least two tackles in 11 of 12 games.
• Made five tackles with half a sack in season-opening win over Eastern Illinois (9-1).
• Recorded a four-yard sack and five tackles at Tulsa (9-10).
• Also tallied five tackles at Ball State (10-1).
• One of his two tackles versus Toledo (10-8) went for loss.
• Registered three tackles and half a tackle for loss in win at Eastern Michigan (10-15).
• Made a season-high eight tackles against Central Michigan (11-2), adding a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.
• Recorded a career high four tackles for loss and a pass break-up in NIU’s win at Western Michigan (11-9).
• Earned Academic All-MAC honors.
2021
• Led all Huskie defensive linemen, and ranked seventh on the team, with 48 tackles while playing in all 14 games and making 11 starts.
• Totaled 19 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and half a sack, broke up three passes and recovered two fumbles.
• Tallied three tackles in the MAC Championship Game (12-4) versus Kent State and two in the Cure Bowl game versus Coastal Carolina (12-17).
• Made two tackles or more in 13 games.
• Twice totaled a career high six stops - vs. Wyoming (9-11), when he also recovered a fumble and had a tackle for loss, and vs. Ball State (11-10).
• Added a half tackle for loss and broke up a pass versus the Cardinals.
• Second fumble recovery came in the Eastern Michigan (10-2) game, when he made four tackles.
• Knocked down two passes with a pair of tackles against Bowling Green (10-16).
• Posted five stops and was in on a sack in NIU’s 22-21 Boneyard Win at Georgia Tech (9-4).
• Contributed five stops at Kent State (11-3) and versus Western Michigan (11-23).
• Member of the 2021 Academic All-MAC team.
2020
• Started all six games, one of seven Huskie defensive players to do so.
• Finished with 20 tackles, including a tackle for loss.
• Earned a career-best six tackles and a pass break up against Central Michigan (11-11).
HIGH SCHOOL
• Three-year varsity letterwinner at defensive end.
• Ranked 26th in Wisconsin and 114th nationally among defensive ends according to 247sports.com.
• Selected as a finalist for the Tim Krumrie Award, presented to the Top Senior Defensive Lineman.
• Named team captain all three years on varsity and was a three-time All-Southeastern Conference player.
• Made the all-county team in 2017 and 2018 and was all-region and honorable mention All-State his senior season.
• Credited with 93 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks for the Panthers in the 2019 regular season.
• Washington Park Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore with 85 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks and 11 pass break-ups.
• As a junior, he had 72 tackles, seven sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, 11 batted balls, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt.
• Tallied 38 stops his junior year with three PBUs and two fumbles forced.
• Recovered a pair of fumbles his sophomore season.
• Team won the conference championships in 2017 and advanced to the playoffs his freshman and senior seasons.
PERSONAL
• Born on March 20 in Racine, Wis.
• Son of Evelyn and Roscoe Thomas.
• A kinesiology major.
