Josh Thomas (cornerback)

Born in Cedar Hill, Texas, Thomas attended Cedar Hill High School before accepting a scholarship from the University at Buffalo. Thomas volunteered to play free safety because the team had a surplus of cornerbacks. He played well, recording 109 tackles and 3 interceptions, but did not attract the high-level recruiting attention that coach Joey McGuire thought he deserved. Then, Buffalo coach Turner Gill, of Fort Worth, Texas, convinced him to head north.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Thomas also starred in track & field at Cedar, where he competed in hurdles and relays. As a junior in 2006, he posted a personal-best time of 37.19 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles at the UIL T&F Championships. At the 2007 District Meet, he placed 3rd in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.47 seconds, 2nd in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 37.33 seconds and ran the second leg on the 4 × 400 m relay squad, helping Cedar win the event with a time of 3:14.81.{{cite web| url=http://tx.milesplit.com/meets/24224/results/45566/raw#.V83BQ5BTHug | title=Results Elite Performances | access-date=February 19, 2016}}

Thomas played for the Buffalo Bulls football team from 2007 to 2010. He appeared in 47 games, starting 34 of them. He amassed 205 tackles, two sacks, five forced fumbles (two recoveries), two interceptions and 27 passes defended.

Thomas started four games as a true freshman and registered 45 tackles, 4 passes defended and one interception.

As a sophomore, Thomas played in 12 games with eight starts. He finished second on the team with six passes defended and recorded 57 tackles and three forced fumbles.

As a junior in 2009, Thomas had 10 starts, recorded 45 tackles and ranked second on the team with 9 passes defended.

In his last year at Buffalo, Thomas was the team's top cornerback, mainly covering the opposing teams' top wide receiver; he posted 12 starts, 58 tackles, 8 passes defended, one interception and 2 sacks.

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 5

| height in = 10

| weight = 191

| dash = 4.43

| ten split = 1.59

| twenty split = 2.53

| shuttle = 4.15

| cone drill = 6.89

| vertical = 40

| broad ft = 10

| broad in = 8

| bench = 13

| wonderlic =

| arm span =

| hand span =

| note = All values from NFL Combine and Pro Day{{cite web| url=http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=77279&draftyear=2011&genpos=CB | title=NFL Draft Profile | access-date=February 19, 2016}}

}}

At his Pro Day, Thomas (5-foot-10 5/8, 192 pounds) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds, had a 40-inch vertical jump and a 10-8 broad jump, ran a 6.89 3-cone drill, and stood on his short shuttle time and bench-press repetitions.

Thomas was selected in the fifth round (143rd overall) of the 2011 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/draft.htm |title=2011 NFL Draft Listing |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |access-date=2019-02-26}} Since 1969, Ed Ellis (125th pick in 1997) and Khalil Mack (5th pick in 2014) remain the only other Buffalo players selected sooner. He was waived on September 3.

On September 4, 2011, he was claimed off the waivers by the Carolina Panthers.{{cite web|last1=Yasinskas|first1=Pat|title=Panthers clean up waiver wire|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/24549/panthers-clean-up-waiver-wire|work=ESPN.com|access-date=October 13, 2014}} In 2012, he started the last 4 games, registered 24 tackles, 7 passes defended (second on the team) and 7 special teams tackles.

On the third play of a game against the Miami Dolphins on November 24, 2013, Thomas intercepted a pass from Ryan Tannehill which was intended for Rishard Matthews.{{cite web |title=Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins - November 24th, 2013 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201311240mia.htm |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=16 November 2023 |language=en}} It would be the only interception of his professional career. In 2013, he played in 13 games (6 starts and 3 inactive) as part of a defensive unit that ranked second in the league in points allowed and total defense.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} He finished with 28 tackles, 2 passes defended, 4 special teams tackles and one interception. He was released on August 30, 2014.{{cite web| url=http://www.foxnews.com/sports/panthers-cut-wr-tavarres-king-og-chris-scott-cb-josh-thomas-to-trim-roster-to-53-players | title=Panthers cut WR Tavarres King, OG Chris Scott, CB Josh Thomas to trim roster to 53 players | website=Fox News | access-date=February 19, 2016}}

On September 8, 2014, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks to replace Jeremy Lane who was placed on the injured reserve list.{{cite web|last1=Condotta|first1=Bob|title=Seahawks sign cornerback Josh Thomas to 53-man roster|url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/seahawks/2014/09/08/seahawks-sign-cornerback-josh-thomas-to-53-man-roster/|publisher=Seattle Times|access-date=October 13, 2015}} He was cut on October 8, after playing in three games to make room for center Patrick Lewis.{{cite web|last1=Condotta|first1=Bob|title=Seahawks sign center Patrick Lewis, waive CB Josh Thomas|url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/seahawks/2014/10/08/seahawks-sign-center-patrick-lewis-waive-cb-josh-thomas/|publisher=Seattle Times|access-date=October 13, 2015}}

Thomas signed with the New York Jets on October 13, 2014. He provided depth after the team placed cornerback Dee Milliner on the injured reserve list.{{cite web|title=Brian Winters Joins Dee Milliner on IR |url=http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangefb/Brian-Winters-Joins-Dee-Milliner-on-IR/c6540e36-9a00-4388-a8f6-f5edc4f977eb |publisher=New York Jets |author=Lange, Randy |date=October 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016004957/http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangefb/Brian-Winters-Joins-Dee-Milliner-on-IR/c6540e36-9a00-4388-a8f6-f5edc4f977eb |archive-date=October 16, 2014 |access-date=October 13, 2014 |url-status=dead }} Thomas was released on December 16, days after his car was broken into and, by his estimate, nearly $12,000 worth of items were stolen.{{cite web|title=Jets release cornerback Josh Thomas, whose playbook was stolen |url=http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/jets_release_cornerback_josh_thomas_whose_playbook_was_stolen.html |publisher=NJ.com |author=Cosentino, Dom |date=December 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220204457/http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/12/jets_release_cornerback_josh_thomas_whose_playbook_was_stolen.html |archive-date=December 20, 2014 |access-date=December 17, 2014 |url-status=dead }} According to Thomas, the Jets told him that part of the reason that he was released was because he did not "engage" enough with his teammates.{{cite news|last1=Rothstein|first1=Josh|title=Josh Thomas: Jets didn't engage|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/12048451/josh-thomas-detroit-lions-rips-new-york-jets-their-hands-approach-coaching|access-date=July 27, 2015|publisher=ESPN|date=December 18, 2014}}

The day after his release from the Jets, Thomas was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on December 17, 2014. In his brief stint with the Lions, Thomas earned $75,882 while appearing in only one game and failing to record any statistics.{{cite news|last1=Rothstein|first1=Michael|title=Meet the Detroit Lions free agents: CB Josh Thomas|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/15617/meet-the-detroit-lions-free-agents-cb-josh-thomas|access-date=July 27, 2015|publisher=ESPN|date=March 4, 2015}}

The Minnesota Vikings signed Thomas on July 24, 2015, following the news that cornerback Jabari Price would be suspended for two games to start the season.{{cite news|last1=Vensel|first1=Matt|title=Vikings sign CB Josh Thomas|url=http://www.startribune.com/vikings-sign-cb-josh-thomas/318473081/|access-date=July 27, 2015|work=Star Tribune|date=July 24, 2015}} He was released on September 5.

On September 22, 2015, he was signed as a free agent by the Indianapolis Colts. He was cut on December 8.

On December 30, 2015, because of injuries to cornerback Morris Claiborne and safety Barry Church, the Dallas Cowboys signed him to play in the last game of the season against the Washington Redskins.

On August 29, 2016, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a left thumb injury he suffered in the preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Rob |date=August 29, 2016 |title=DE Shaneil Jenkins, 2 Others Waived/Injured; CB Thomas To Injured Reserve |url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/08/29/de-shaneil-jenkins-2-others-waivedinjured-cb-thomas-injured-reserve |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904081047/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/08/29/de-shaneil-jenkins-2-others-waivedinjured-cb-thomas-injured-reserve |archive-date=September 4, 2017 |access-date=September 3, 2016 |website=Dallas Cowboys}} On November 22, the Cowboys moved Thomas to the Non-Football Injury list.{{cite news|title=Cowboys' Josh Thomas: Moved to NFI list|url=http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/cowboys-josh-thomas-moved-to-nfi-list/|access-date=December 20, 2016|agency=RotoWire|work=CBS Sports|date=November 22, 2016}} He was not re-signed in 2017.

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• {{Football stats |nfl=2508121 |espn=14162 |pfr=T/ThomJo01}}

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Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:American football cornerbacks

Category:Buffalo Bulls football players

Category:Carolina Panthers players

Category:Dallas Cowboys players

Category:Detroit Lions players

Category:Indianapolis Colts players

Category:Minnesota Vikings players

Category:New York Jets players

Category:People from Cedar Hill, Texas

Category:Players of American football from Ellis County, Texas

Category:Seattle Seahawks players

Category:Players of American football from Dallas County, Texas