Chiefs’ new edge rusher R Mason Thomas has a nickname that proves that he isn’t like any other player in the draft
The Kansas City Chiefs got a dog with their most recent pick in former Oklahoma Sooners edge rusher R Mason Thomas.
The Kansas City Chiefs may have gotten the most clutch player in the entire 2026 NFL Draft. Former Oklahoma Sooners edge rusher R Mason Thomas is the real deal, and his nickname is what it is for a reason.
In the 2025 game against Auburn, Thomas earned his nickname “The Closer” by elevating his performance.
Chiefs are getting a dog in R Mason Thomas
With the game on the line for the Tigers in Norman, Oklahoma, Auburn found themselves on their own one-yard line. Thomas had been dominating what was a pretty decent offensive line unit all game long. He then told his teammates not to even rush the passer, but that he would do it himself, one-on-five, and get the sack for a safety against Jackson Arnold, his former teammate.
“[R Mason Thomas] was just like, ‘Let me go get him.’ And that’s why we backed off and let him do his thing,” defensive tackle Gracen Halton told On3’s Parker Thune after the game.
Thomas is a true game changer.
The Chiefs needed some help on the edge with getting to the passer. This draft pick is a little against what Steve Spagnuolo usually likes. Thomas is a bit smaller than the usual build KC goes for. However, his speed-to-power, bend, and hand usage while rushing the passer are pretty good, too. Thomas is twitchy, uses natural leverage to get underneath blockers, and is very instinctive.
There are some downsides to Thomas, though. He’s prone to jump offsides, as he had three of those calls in 2025. His lack of length does show, as sometimes he’s forced inside the tackle. If he’s double-teamed, even if it’s with a tackle and tight end, he’s got almost no shot to beat that double team.
But he has an insane motor; just watch another play from that same game as he chased down an RB on a 44-yard run.
