Oklahoma Sooners defensive leader named one of college football's most important playmakers for the 2025 season
After waiting for years to break out while battling injuries, 2024 was the season R Mason Thomas finally put it all together for the world to see just how impactful he could be. Thomas was Oklahoma's best defender last season, and quite frankly, I don't think anyone else put up enough to contend for that […]
After waiting for years to break out while battling injuries, 2024 was the season R Mason Thomas finally put it all together for the world to see just how impactful he could be.
Thomas was Oklahoma's best defender last season, and quite frankly, I don't think anyone else put up enough to contend for that spot. His 35 pressures last season put him right up with talents like Nic Scourton, Landon Jackson, and Kyle Kennard in the SEC, while his nine sacks finished tied for fifth with talents like Keldric Faulk and Colin Simmons.
His impact was so strong that ESPN named Thomas one of college football's top playmakers for the 2025 season.
"Oklahoma didn't make much of a dent during its first season of SEC play, but the Sooners' defense jumped out, especially in an upset win against Alabama. Although Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman Jr. are off to the NFL, coach Brent Venables can build around players such as Thomas, who showed premier pass-rushing skills last fall. More than half of his total tackles came for losses, and he earned second-team All-SEC honors in his first season as a starter. Thomas became the first Oklahoma player to record three sacks in a game since 2020, and got better as games went along, recording six of his sacks in the fourth quarter. He also had a fumble return for a touchdown and recorded a forced fumble and a sack against LSU. Thomas jumped out to several SEC coaches, one of whom said, 'He's not at the level of [Dylan] Stewart, but he's a dynamic kid.' "
The scariest part of that is that Thomas still has room to improve as a pass rusher and run defender. 2024 was his first season fully healthy, and as such, his technique still needs to grow. As he adds more to his toolbag to pair with his natural tools and bend, Thomas has all the ability to become one of the most dominant pass rushers in college football.
In my opinion, if he is healthy for 2025 and takes that expected next step, I think Thomas will vault himself into round one conversations for the 2026 NFL Draft.
