Powerful, Ferocious, Speedy, Sacks … But About That Size
February 26th, 2026
Oklahoma QB menace and edge rusher R Mason Thomas.
You watch this guy’s videos and they are fun as hell. Joe could watch his cut-ups on an otherwise slow Friday night while working on some cold beers.
The speed is there. The ferocity is there. The explosion is there. The tenacity is there. The moves are there. The ballhawk mindset is there. The production is there.
But Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas’ measurements aren’t there. The Fort Lauderdale native is 6-2, 249 pounds. That gives NFL folks linebacker vibes.
(Fun fact: Coming out of Buffalo in 2014, Khalil Mack was 6-3, 251. Joe remembers a general manager telling Joe at the combine that winter that if Mack was on the board when he drafted, he’s got a problem. The analytics on Mack’s measurables screamed “bust” but the film screamed “dawg.” How’d that work out?)
Joe spoke with Thomas at the combine Wednesday at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. He isn’t worried about what people say about his size, whether they are NFL scouts, suits or coaches.
In fact, Thomas has a ready-made retort for any NFL statgeeks who try to dismiss him as an edge rusher because of his size. How do you fight the numberscrunchers? Use physics against them.
“I tell them an equation. I say to them a little force equation. Mass times acceleration equals force. … All I need to do is generate some more speed.
“All it is, is less weight, more speed, that’s all.”
Joe thinks that is hilarious: Thomas goes to war against the math nerds using physics. Brilliant!
Thomas confessed that some teams only want him to rush the passer. Thomas is not interested in this exclusive usage in any way.
“I see myself as a dominant pass rusher but [excelling] in the run game, too,” Thomas said. “People say [Thomas is] a designated pass rusher to come in on third down. Who just wants to come in on third down? I want to play the whole game.”
Go ahead and treat yourself to a cut-up of Thomas below. From what Joe reads, picking Thomas at No. 15, which is where the Bucs now have a first-round pick, might be too high. And Joe doubts Thomas will be on the board when the Bucs next pick at No. 46.
Thomas, like Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen, could be a trade down candidate for the Bucs.
For reference, Mack was selected fifth overall in the 2014 draft.
As for Thomas’ big personality? Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has a known history for having a soft spot for players with big personalities.
As of 2/21 R Mason Thomas is “my guy” at 26 … pic.twitter.com/oIksLWd2iu
— Air Raid | Buffalo (@TheBillsGuys) February 21, 2026
February 26th, 2026 at 7:10 am
unfortunately, bowles’ defense ask DE/OLB to do a number of things lol…
good pass rushers arent allowed to rush the passer in this defense lol….
can he drop into coverage?…can he flip his hips and run with a RB or TE?
GO BUCS!!!!
February 26th, 2026 at 7:13 am
Love the bend !!
February 26th, 2026 at 7:15 am
At 15, if Styles is gone, I would like to see them take Cashius Howell, but if we traded back a few spots, I’d love to see them take this guy. He’s got a hell of a motor, hard hitter.
February 26th, 2026 at 7:19 am
He would be good against a lot of these mobile quarterbacks. But he reminds me too much of Chris Braswell
February 26th, 2026 at 7:39 am
Draft him
February 26th, 2026 at 8:03 am
Many teams were not on board with Derrick Brooks because of his size….
February 26th, 2026 at 8:15 am
He’s too small
February 26th, 2026 at 8:36 am
I’m good with a trade up in the second round to grab him. Gets low, good bend, good speed, good instincts.
February 26th, 2026 at 8:39 am
We took Kancey. Another second coming player. How did that work out? Draft them and Hope
February 26th, 2026 at 8:43 am
“But Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas’ measurements aren’t there. The Fort Lauderdale native is 6-2, 249 pounds. That gives NFL folks linebacker vibes.”
Yea, the rest of the leagues’ “undersized” is perfect for us, Thomas is about the same size as Shaq Barrett. So the “knock” that’d devalue Thomas to a team that runs a base 4-3, wouldn’t really apply with us.
I like Thomas, and his speed to power kind of makes up for what would work against him being shorter than most offensive tackles. Could afford to work on his rush moves which would further compliment his get off. Wouldn’t take him if Howell(who’s also “undersized”) or Styles were available, but in a trade back he’d be a no brainer.
I don’t think the way to look at refortifying our front 7/pass rush is finding that 1 diamond in the rough being a double digit sack and problem solved. Give me Diaby, Walker, & “???” hitting that 24-30 sacks combined mark, but more importantly generating pressure on demand. Sacks are cool, but so are throws in the dirt, tipped passes into coverage & throwaways.
February 26th, 2026 at 8:51 am
They need a Sapp and a Brooks. Two guys who had markedly different personalities but whose intensity and desire raised the play of every other defensive player. Lynch and Barber were good, but playing with Brooks and Sapp made them greater.
February 26th, 2026 at 8:54 am
I like his speed and motor but I found that most of the things I saw in that video were him using his speed coming around the edge. Against NFL caliber tackles that may not work and he needs larger array of pass rush moves.
Think I would rather pick Gabe Jacas or TJ Parker
February 26th, 2026 at 9:01 am
I said this several weeks ago, now Joe writes an article. You can not teach what this guy has, effort and tenacity is a mind set and this guy is loaded in spades with both.
February 26th, 2026 at 9:08 am
Looked up his stats…..Am I missing something? He had a couple good games, one against Kent. I’m not familiar with him, so I’ve been wrong before.
February 26th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Bucs’ pass rush would be a lot more effective if we added a monster DT/NT rather than a rookie Edge. YaYa is actually an excellent OLB who could get a LOT more sacks IF the interior of the Bucs’ DLine actually collapsed the interior of the opponents’ OLine and caused the QB to MOVE.
Bucs’ defense was light-years better than it is now when we had Vea & Suh together (with Gholston) back in 2019-2021, with JPP & Shaq on the edges. No one could run against them, and our pass rush did its’ job.
Bucs need to grab Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald with our #15 pick. Anything other than that and we’ll be watching a replay on defense of 2025 this year.
February 26th, 2026 at 9:56 am
“Bucs’ pass rush would be a lot more effective if we added a monster DT/NT rather than a rookie Edge.”
We can literally do both, it’s not a this vs. that type deal.
“Bucs need to grab Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald with our #15 pick. Anything other than that and we’ll be watching a replay on defense of 2025 this year.”
Demonte Capehart, link provided. He’s what what we wanted from Akiem Hicks & who we thought Logan Hall could be. Flexible in terms of being able to play multiple techniques as a DT and having the ability to anchor against the run defense, shoot gaps, absorb doubles and/or push the pocket.
Agree with the sentiment, but I think there are a few options in rounds outside of the 1st for us to scratch that particular itch. Calab Banks, Darrell Jackson Jr, there are some guys out there.
February 26th, 2026 at 10:07 am
Dude knows how to finish, which just so happens to be weakness up and down the Bucs D-line. His speed pops on film.
February 26th, 2026 at 10:23 am
I agree with Kayden McDonald at 15.
If not, I would be ok with Keldric Faulk, but give me the Big Men man!!
February 26th, 2026 at 10:47 am
We had a pretty defensive end who was 6’3” and played at 256lbs. Y’all might remember him? His name was Leroy Selmon. 1” taller. 7 pounds heavier. Close enough!
February 26th, 2026 at 10:54 am
I like Cj, if we trade down to top 5 -10 of the 2nd, go for it. We have a lot of holes, but what if hes there when we pick 2nd….and we spent that 1st on Ioane? Man that would be SWEET.
February 26th, 2026 at 11:00 am
We need to trade back.
There must be a contender at the end of the first round willing to give us an additional 2nd to move up.
Middle Linebackers are almost never taken in the 1st
But you can get one of the best in the draft in the 2nd round.
We need two fast inside linebackers.
You can find elite talent in the 2nd round at MLB.
There are also elite guards in the 2nd.
I really hope some stupid team like Atlanta will desire our pick at #15.
February 26th, 2026 at 11:03 am
There are new pass rush toys for nearly every team in this draft and R. Mason Thomas’ film is as fun as anybody’s. His bend is absurd and that combined with his ability to convert speed to power is rare. He checks my three must-haves for a pass-rusher: 1) elite get-off 2) glowing hot motor 3) multiple seasons of production in college.
My favorite odd stat of his is 6 of his 9 sacks in his breakout 2024 season came in the fourth quarter while protecting leads. I don’t need the Bucs season sack total to rise nearly as much as I need to see a more sacks in the fourth quarter when it counts the most.
Besides his short arms, I’m also seriously concerned about his soft-tissue injury history. High ankle sprains ended his first two college seasons from the go (surgeries on both legs) and he had not-insignificant issues this past season. The man is weapon- no doubt about it but I lean toward Romello Height as my favorite undersized pass down specialist in this draft because of his durability, his exquisitely refined repertoire of moves, set-ups and hand usage but most of all his being arguably the best edge talent in this draft in coverage. He’ll be available later as well. Both Height and Thomas have potential to contribute both inside and outside so I hope the Bucs can land one of them somewhere in the second.
February 26th, 2026 at 11:06 am
If the choice is between speed and size, I’ll take speed every time.
February 26th, 2026 at 11:14 am
We had a pretty GOOD defensive end who was 6’3” and played at 256lbs. Y’all might remember him? His name was Leroy Selmon. 1” taller. 7 pounds heavier. Close enough!
(I always do my best editing after I hit send.)
February 26th, 2026 at 11:25 am
“There must be a contender at the end of the first round willing to give us an additional 2nd to move up.”
Falcons, Packers, Jaguars, & Colts don’t have a first rounder at all.
Browns(6th & 24th), Cowboys(12th & 20th), Jets(2nd & 14th), & Rams(13th & 29th) all have multiple first round selections.
The first group w/o day 1 picks we could set a ridiculous price for in exchange for our pick at 15th overall.
Might take a some wheeling and dealing to get the other 4 teams with multiple 1st rounders to budge, as they can deal with the others that aren’t picking day 1 same as us and rake them over the coals.
Other teams are also in play, just listed the team that either have a surplus or no pick at all, because imo they’d seem the easiest to move on-could be wrong though.