R Mason Thomas points out simple physics to silence any doubts about his size, compares himself to dangerous former Sooner
R Mason Thomas knows what he can bring to an NFL roster, even if he has to defy expectations to get there.
The Oklahoma Sooners have benefitted from the strong play of pass rusher R Mason Thomas, who very quickly became one of the most impactful Oklahoma defenders of the 2000’s despite only emerging as a starter in the last two seasons. After a dominant 2024 and 2025 season, Thomas now heads off to the NFL as one of the most intriguing draft prospects in this EDGE class.
Thomas is aware of some of the thoughts around him as an NFL Draft prospect, and had answers ready to go at the NFL Scouting Combine to dissuade some of the notions surrounding him.
R Mason Thomas confident in making it in the NFL
At the Combine, Thomas was asked about how what he’s telling NFL teams because he’s an undersized rusher that doesn’t fit the “prototypical” rusher build. He had a fascinating answer that makes sense the more you think about it.
“I tell them the force equation, mass times acceleration equals force. I’m not a 280 [pound] guy, I’m a 250 guy, but all I need to do is generate more speed to generate more force. So a guy that is 280 can generate force taking one step in the ground, whereas I have to take maybe three steps. All it is for me is less weight, more speed.”
R Mason Thomas compares himself to former Sooner
At the podium, Thomas also went out of his way to compare himself to a former Sooner who has carved out an incredible career so far with the Denver Broncos in Nik Bonitto.
“That’s my prototype, Dallas Turner, but the big one is Nik Bonitto. I watched him a lot. He plays with speed. Plays with hair on fire, and he’s starting to do the speed of power too. So, you know, you look at a guy that wants to get around you on the edge, but then he’ll go through your face. So I see a lot of that in my game.”
Bonitto was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft and has become one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. He has combined for 27.5 sacks over the last two seasons and 30 tackles for loss, and his speed and bend around the arc have gotten the better of every offensive tackle he has squared off against.
It makes sense for Thomas to compare himself to Bonitto, given how similar the two are stylistically as rushers, winning with bend and speed instead of power and length. If Thomas begins his career anywhere close to the production that Bonitto has produced, he’ll easily be worth a top draft selection this coming April.
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