Daniel Thomas (safety)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{distinguish|Daniel Thomas (running back)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Daniel Thomas
| image =
| caption =
| current_team = Jacksonville Jaguars
| number = 20
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|7|1}}
| birth_place = Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 215
| high_school = Robert E. Lee (Montgomery)
| college = Auburn (2016–2019)
| draftyear = 2020
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 157
| pastteams =
- Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2020}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 71
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 1
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 2
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 1
| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue7 =
| pfr = ThomDa07
}}
Daniel Thomas (born July 1, 1998) is an American professional football safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers.
Early life
Thomas grew up in Montgomery, Alabama and attended Robert E. Lee High School. As a senior, he was named first-team All-Metro and second-team ASWA Class 7A all-state after recording 87 tackles, five tackles for loss and seven interceptions, including two interceptions returned for a touchdown, while returning three punts for touchdowns.{{Cite web |last=Marcello |first=Brandon |date=February 3, 2016 |title=Defensive back Daniel Thomas snags late offer, commits to Auburn |url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2016/02/defensive_back_daniel_thomas_s.html |access-date=April 17, 2020 |website=AL.com}} Rated a three-star recruit, Thomas was considering offers from Minnesota, Clemson, South Carolina, and North Carolina before signing with Auburn after receiving a late offer from the school on National Signing Day.{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=Matthew |date=February 3, 2016 |title=(UPDATED): 3-star DB Daniel Thomas signs with Auburn |url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburnauthority/2016/02/03/daniel-thomas-receives-late-auburn-scholarship-offer/79750098/ |access-date=April 17, 2020 |website=The Montgomery Advertiser}}
College career
Thomas played in 11 games as a true freshman, recording 16 tackles and two interceptions. Both interceptions were against rival Alabama on November 26, 2016, starting in place of linebacker, Deshaun Davis, who suffered a knee sprain the week prior against Vanderbilt, becoming the first Auburn freshman with two turnovers in one game since 2009.{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=Matthew |date=July 5, 2017 |title=Auburn's 'Roaring Twenties': No. 19 DB Daniel Thomas |url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburnauthority/2017/07/06/auburns-roaring-twenties-no-19-db-daniel-thomas/454164001/ |access-date=April 17, 2020 |website=The Montgomery Advertiser}} Thomas played safety and the nickel back, and linebacker positions as a sophomore, finishing the season with 35 tackles, two sacks, one interception and three passes defended.{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Tom |date=August 15, 2018 |title=New Auburn starting safety Daniel Thomas out to 'prove everybody wrong' |url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2018/08/daniel_thomas_chip_on_shoulder.html |access-date=April 17, 2020 |website=AL.com}} Thomas became a starter going into his junior season and recorded 74 tackles with five passes defended, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack. Thomas is described as a "positionless" player, a short stocky defender with run stopping force and ball skills that led the Tigers to a successful 9-4 record.{{Cite web |date=August 11, 2019 |title=Auburn safety Daniel Thomas ready to end career on high note |url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2019/08/11/auburn-football-late-signing-senior-safety-daniel-thomas-end-career-championship-montgomery-lee-high/1976366001/ |access-date=April 17, 2020 |website=The Montgomery Advertiser}}{{Cite web |last=Ferguson |first=Justin |date=February 15, 2019 |title=From signing day longshot to secondary stalwart: Auburn safety Daniel Thomas continues to prove doubters wrong |url=https://theathletic.com/819243/2019/02/15/auburn-daniel-thomas-safety-game-changer/ |access-date=April 17, 2020 |website=The Athletic}} Thomas recorded 74 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, one pass defended and one forced fumble as a senior.{{Cite web |last=Vitale |first=Josh |date=December 27, 2019 |title=Daniel Thomas' Auburn career comes full circle with bowl game vs. Minnesota |url=https://www.timesdaily.com/sports/auburn_football/daniel-thomas-auburn-career-comes-full-circle-with-bowl-game/article_63a32562-3fd6-54b9-a3e5-b7ca081e2eb1.html |access-date=April 17, 2020 |website=TimesDaily}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 10
| weight = 215
| dash = 4.51
| ten split = 1.53
| twenty split = 2.66
| shuttle = 4.20
| cone drill = 7.04
| vertical = 37.0
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 5
| bench = 24
| arm span = 31 5/8
| hand span = 9 1/4
| note = Sources:{{Cite web |title=Daniel Thomas Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/daniel-thomas/32005448-4f09-1876-a61f-71eebb43a299 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2020 NFL Draft Scout Daniel Thomas College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1018759&DraftYear=2020 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
Thomas was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round with the 157th pick in the 2020 NFL draft.{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Tom |date=April 25, 2020 |title=Auburn's Daniel Thomas drafted by Jacksonville Jaguars in 5th round |work=AL.com |url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2020/04/auburns-daniel-thomas-drafted-by-jacksonville-jaguars-in-5th-round.html |access-date=April 27, 2020}} Jacksonville previously acquired this selection by trading Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens.{{Cite web |title=2020 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/draft.htm |access-date=October 30, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers, he recorded a touchdown on a blocked punt in the 39–29 loss.{{Cite web |title=Jacksonville Jaguars at Los Angeles Chargers – October 25th, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202010250sdg.htm |access-date=October 30, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
In Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thomas recorded his first career interception off a pass thrown by Ben Roethlisberger and made a 53-yard return during the 27–3 loss.{{Cite web |title=Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars - November 22nd, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202011220jax.htm |access-date=November 28, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
He was placed on injured reserve on November 24, 2020, with an arm injury.{{Cite web |last=Acosta |first=JP |date=November 25, 2020 |title=Josh Allen among three Jaguars defenders placed on IR |url=https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2020/11/25/21717679/josh-allen-among-three-jaguars-defenders-placed-on-ir |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Big Cat Country |publisher=SB Nation}}
On March 8, 2024, Thomas signed a two-year contract extension with the Jaguars.{{cite web|title=Official: Jaguars Sign Contract Extension for Safety Daniel Thomas|url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/official-jaguars-sign-contract-extension-for-safety-daniel-thomas|author=Oehser, John|website=Jaguars.com|date=March 8, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.jaguars.com/team/players-roster/daniel-thomas/ Jacksonville Jaguars bio]
- [https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/roster/daniel-thomas/12901 Auburn Tigers bio]
{{Jacksonville Jaguars roster navbox}}
{{Jaguars2020DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Daniel}}
Category:Players of American football from Montgomery, Alabama
Category:American football safeties