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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Thomas Goes to Chiefs in NFL Draft Second Round
April 24, 2026 | Football
NORMAN — University of Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas was selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday in Pittsburgh, Pa., as the Kansas City Chiefs grabbed him with the eighth pick of the round (No. 40 overall).
Thomas became OU's highest defensive draft pick since linebacker Kenneth Murray was selected No. 23 overall by Dallas in 2020. He's the Sooners' highest defensive end selection since Cedric Jones went No. 5 overall to the New York Giants in 1996.
A 6-2, 241-pounder, Thomas created havoc in opposing backfields during his four seasons in Norman, as 39% of his career tackles went for lost yardage. He started 20 of his 42 career games with the Sooners, compiling 65 tackles, including 25.5 for loss and 17.0 sacks. He also registered four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (two returned for touchdowns), 17 QB hurries and three pass breakups. He was a second-team All-American, a first-team All-SEC selection and a Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2025 and was a second-team All-SEC performer in 2024.
As a senior in 2025, Thomas started nine of his 10 games and recorded 26 tackles, including 9.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three QB hurries. He was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after notching two sacks, including a game-sealing safety, while playing only the second half against Auburn on Sept. 20. In the first quarter of OU's Nov. 1 game at Tennessee, Thomas returned a fumble 71 yards for a touchdown while stiff-arming a tight end for 20 yards down field. He finished the play despite sustaining a leg injury that sidelined him the remainder of the game and the following three contests. The fumble return was the longest in program history. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown in the 2024 regular season finale at LSU.
More than half of Thomas's 23 tackles during the 2024 season went for lost yardage. He totaled 12.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks, along with two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 11 QB hurries and a pass breakup in 13 games (11 starts). He was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week after recording four tackles (2.0 sacks) in Oklahoma's victory at Auburn and was selected as SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after notching three tackles (1.5 for loss and 1.0 sack), in OU's 24-3 win over No. 7 Alabama on Nov. 24. He also registered a career-high 3.0 sacks in the fourth quarter of OU's Sept. 14 win over Tulane.
Thomas played in nine contests in a rotational role at defensive end in 2023 (missed four games due to injury) and totaled nine tackles, including 2.5 for loss and one sack, two QB hurries and one pass breakup. As a true freshman in 2022, he played in 10 games and totaled seven tackles, including 1.0 for loss and 0.5 sack, and one QB hurry (missed three games due to injury).
A former four-star recruit out of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Thomas was ranked as the No. 139 overall player in the country, the nation's No. 17 edge player and the No. 20 player in Florida by On3. He is expected to graduate from OU in May with a degree in multidisciplinary studies.
The 2026 draft will conclude Saturday with rounds 4-7.
Thomas became OU's highest defensive draft pick since linebacker Kenneth Murray was selected No. 23 overall by Dallas in 2020. He's the Sooners' highest defensive end selection since Cedric Jones went No. 5 overall to the New York Giants in 1996.
A 6-2, 241-pounder, Thomas created havoc in opposing backfields during his four seasons in Norman, as 39% of his career tackles went for lost yardage. He started 20 of his 42 career games with the Sooners, compiling 65 tackles, including 25.5 for loss and 17.0 sacks. He also registered four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (two returned for touchdowns), 17 QB hurries and three pass breakups. He was a second-team All-American, a first-team All-SEC selection and a Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2025 and was a second-team All-SEC performer in 2024.
As a senior in 2025, Thomas started nine of his 10 games and recorded 26 tackles, including 9.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three QB hurries. He was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after notching two sacks, including a game-sealing safety, while playing only the second half against Auburn on Sept. 20. In the first quarter of OU's Nov. 1 game at Tennessee, Thomas returned a fumble 71 yards for a touchdown while stiff-arming a tight end for 20 yards down field. He finished the play despite sustaining a leg injury that sidelined him the remainder of the game and the following three contests. The fumble return was the longest in program history. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown in the 2024 regular season finale at LSU.
More than half of Thomas's 23 tackles during the 2024 season went for lost yardage. He totaled 12.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks, along with two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 11 QB hurries and a pass breakup in 13 games (11 starts). He was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week after recording four tackles (2.0 sacks) in Oklahoma's victory at Auburn and was selected as SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after notching three tackles (1.5 for loss and 1.0 sack), in OU's 24-3 win over No. 7 Alabama on Nov. 24. He also registered a career-high 3.0 sacks in the fourth quarter of OU's Sept. 14 win over Tulane.
Thomas played in nine contests in a rotational role at defensive end in 2023 (missed four games due to injury) and totaled nine tackles, including 2.5 for loss and one sack, two QB hurries and one pass breakup. As a true freshman in 2022, he played in 10 games and totaled seven tackles, including 1.0 for loss and 0.5 sack, and one QB hurry (missed three games due to injury).
A former four-star recruit out of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Thomas was ranked as the No. 139 overall player in the country, the nation's No. 17 edge player and the No. 20 player in Florida by On3. He is expected to graduate from OU in May with a degree in multidisciplinary studies.
The 2026 draft will conclude Saturday with rounds 4-7.
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