Jay'shon Thomas

DE · #18 · Northern Illinois · JR · 6'4" · 246 · Cataula, GA

Projected RDE starter

12 2026 tackles

0.5 · 1 2026 sacks · TFL

0 2026 INT + PD

26 Career games (7 starts)

Career

Season	Team	GP	GS	Tackles	Sacks	TFL	INT	PD	FF
2026	Northern Illinois	4	4	12	0.5	1	0	0	0
2025	Northern Illinois	12	3	20	2	3	0	0	0
2024	Northern Illinois	9	0
2023	Northern Illinois	1	0

Tackles per game 3.0 92

Havoc plays 2 50

INT + pass breakups 0 0

Forced fumbles 0 0

Explosive rate allowed 17.0% 1

Line yards per carry allowed 3.4 3

Sack rate 4.0% 18

Week	Opponent	Tkl	Sacks	TFL	INT	PD
W2	Illinois State Redbirds
W3	@ ARIZ	3		1

Weeks with a recorded defensive stat.

2023 class · 247 composite

Three-star high school recruit

The 2023 board

#2515

Luke Skartvedt OT · Roncalli NIU

#2519

Blesyng Alualu-Tuiolemotu LB · James Campbell UNLV

#2520

Jay'shon Thomas TE · Harris County NIU

#2526

Jackson Grier WR · St. Thomas Aquinas BSU

#2526 Mekhi Jenkins RB · Royal Oak CMU

TEs in the class

#118 Aiden Valdez Bishop Amat

#119

#120

Jay'shon Thomas Harris County NIU

#121 Cade Clyde Connell

#122

James Falk The Haverford School RICE

2026 · 50th pctile of DEs

Recruit · 13th pctile of class

Playing well above the recruiting profile.