Cameron Thomas Scouting Report

Edge, San Diego State University  #99

Cameron Thomas Scouting Report Measurements

6’4”/264lbs

Arms: 33 1/8”

Hands: 10”

Wingspan: 79 1/4”

40 time: 4.78sec

Bench Press: 24 reps

Cameron Thomas NFL Draft Profile

A consensus three-star recruit coming out of high school, Cameron Thomas was not coveted by most Power Five programs. During his high school career, he played on sides of the ball starting as a tight end and defensive end. As a defensive end, he was able to record over 80 tackles, nine sacks, and five tackles for a loss in his final two years of high school. After receiving a few offers from Power Five programs, the Carlsbad, California native decided to stick close to home and attend San Diego State University.

College Career

Thomas did not start to gain national attention until after he decided to redshirt his freshmen season after appearing in just one game on special teams. Once he was inserted into the lineup as a redshirt freshman, Thomas responded by having one of the best performances as a freshman in San Diego State University history. He recorded 49 tackles, five sacks, and nine tackles for a loss while starting as a defensive tackle. His performance earned him a spot on the 1st team All-Mountain West team.

Thomas followed up his freshmen season by putting up great numbers in 2020 in a shortened season. He again earned a spot on the All-Conference team and was named San Diego State’s Defensive Player of the Year. During his last season as an Aztec, Thomas finally gained the national attention he deserved by being named to the 2nd team Associated Press All-American team and winning the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Cameron Thomas Strengths

Physicality at the Point of Attack

What makes Thomas a special player is how physical he is willing to be at the point of attack. When watching him on tape, he displays the ability to continuously walk offensive linemen back to the quarterback. With his ten-inch hands, Thomas packs a heavy punch that immediately stuns linemen and allows him to execute his rip move. 

Explosiveness/Athleticism

Standing 6’4” 264lbs, Thomas moves well for a player his size. He can beat offensive linemen in many ways, whether coming off the edge or lining up as an interior defensive lineman. On his tape, you can notice how easy it is for him to get skinny and force his way through tight gaps. He also has a quick first step that is difficult for any offensive lineman to match.

Pass Rushing Technique

The reason Thomas can beat offensive lineman in different ways is because of how technically sound he is with his hands and execution of pass rush moves. His arsenal of pass rush moves allows him to put combinations of moves together in order to beat offensive linemen.

Cameron Thomas Weakness

Hip Flexibility

During some games, it is noticeable that Thomas has trouble turning the corner with the bendiness and twitch in his hips. This is something that can be the difference between getting sacks or not. He will need to improve his hip flex ability in order to produce more sacks in the NFL. 

Playing Too High

Thomas, at times, plays too high exposing his chest to an offensive lineman. This makes it easy for him to be blocked and moved off the line of scrimmage. He needs to learn how to play lower in order to generate more leverage whether he is rushing the passer or defending the run.  

Consistent Sack Production

Thomas did not leave San Diego State with a high sack total every season. Prior to this last season he only had 9.5 career sacks. He did generate a lot of quarterback hurries and pressures, but not many of them led to sacks.  This will have scouts question his ability to get to the quarterback or if this year was a fluke. If Thomas wants to survive in the NFL, he will need to show he can get to the quarterback and finish consistently.

Cameron Thomas Draft Stock

Thomas started the season as a mid-round prospect. His performance during the 2021 season has helped his stock rise during the pre-draft process. Thomas did make an appearance at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, but was injured during the week of practice which forced him to sit out the game. He then arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine only to weight lift for teams and scouts. Thomas has the size, power, and technique that can get him selected in the early rounds. I predict he will be selected late in the second round. He definitely will not go outside the third round.

Final Thoughts on Cameron Thomas NFL Draft Scouting Report

Thomas is another player who works hard and is a team player that helps his team succeed by any means. He is better suited to play in a 4-3 defense, lining up on the edge. As mentioned before, he does have some experience playing in the interior as a defensive tackle. This may help boost his stock even more because of his play versatility. Thomas will start his career as a rotational player with the potential to be a starter down the road. There are a lot of defensive ends expected to go early in the draft. In the future we may wonder why Thomas wasn’t one of them.

Cameron Thomas Scouting Report Analyst- Michael Williams.