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Thomas, Ray
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Jersey Number 25
Ray Thomas
- Position:
- DL
- Height:
- 6-4
- Weight:
- 300
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Hometown:
- Racine, Wis.
- High School/Previous School:
- Washington Park HS (Northern Illinois)
Bio
Career Honors
2024 Academic All-MAC
2023 CSC Academic All-District
2023 Academic All-MAC
2023 MAC West Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 25 at Kent State)
2022 Academic All-MAC
2021 Academic All-MAC
Career Notes
Played in 49 career games with 41 starts … Following the 2024 season, had 198 career tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, nine pass breakups and one forced fumble.
2024 (Graduate Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in four games with zero starts ... Earned a redshirt … Recorded 12 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one pass breakup … Made his season debut at Ball State on Oct. 26 and played in four-straight games through Nov. 19 at Miami (OH).
2023 (Senior Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 13 games with 13 starts … Finished the season with a team-leading 74 tackles, the most by any defensive lineman in the country … Only FBS defensive lineman to lead his team in tackles, and the first NIU defensive lineman in school history to lead the Huskies in tackles on the season … Added a pair of quarterback sacks and his 7.5 tackles for loss led the Huskies … Recorded at least three tackles in every game … Named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after making nine tackles with one for loss in the win at Kent State (11-25) … Contributed six tackles and was in on a sack in the Camellia Bowl win over Arkansas State (12-23) … Made six tackles versus both Eastern Michigan (10-21) and Ball State (11-7) with a half tackle for loss against the Cardinals … Recorded five stops versus Ohio (10-14) … Led all players with 11 tackles versus Tulsa (9-23) with a tackle for loss and half a sack … The 11 tackles, including seven solo stops and four assists, were the most by a Huskie defensive lineman since 2013 (Ken Bishop, 11 vs. Toledo … Credited with five tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup at Nebraska (9-16) … Has recorded at least five tackles in a game 15 times in his career … Totaled four tackles, including two for loss and his first sack of the year against Southern Illinois (9-9) … Had five stops and two quarterback hurries in NIU’s overtime win at Boston College (9-2) … A preseason Second Team All-MAC choice by Phil Steele and preseason third team All-MAC by PFF and Athlon … Earned CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC Honors … Named Defensive Most Valuable Player following 2023 spring practices.
2022 (Junior Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 12 games with 11 starts … Honored as the team’s defensive lineman of the year following the season … Totaled 44 tackles, led the Huskies with 9.0 tackles for loss and broke up three passes … Credited with at least two tackles in 11 of 12 games … Made five tackles with half a sack in season-opening win over Eastern Illinois (9-1) … Recorded a four-yard sack and five tackles at Tulsa (9-10) … Also tallied five tackles at Ball State (10-1) … One of his two tackles versus Toledo (10-8) went for loss … Registered three tackles and half a tackle for loss in win at Eastern Michigan (10-15) … Made a season-high eight tackles against Central Michigan (11-2), adding a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble … Recorded a career high four tackles for loss and a pass break-up in NIU’s win at Western Michigan (11-9) … Earned Academic All-MAC honors.
2021(Sophomore Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 14 games with 11 starts … Led all Huskie defensive linemen, and ranked seventh on the team, with 48 tackles while playing in all 14 games and making 11 starts … Totaled 19 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and half a sack, broke up three passes and recovered two fumbles … Tallied three tackles in the MAC Championship Game (12-4) versus Kent State and two in the Cure Bowl game versus Coastal Carolina (12-17) … Made two tackles or more in 13 games … Twice totaled a career high six stops - vs. Wyoming (9-11), when he also recovered a fumble and had a tackle for loss, and vs. Ball State (11-10) … Added a half tackle for loss and broke up a pass versus the Cardinals … Second fumble recovery came in the Eastern Michigan (10-2) game, when he made four tackles … Knocked down two passes with a pair of tackles against Bowling Green (10-16) … Posted five stops and was in on a sack in NIU’s 22-21 Boneyard Win at Georgia Tech (9-4) … Contributed five stops at Kent State (11-3) and versus Western Michigan (11-23) … Member of the 2021 Academic All-MAC team.
2020 (True Freshman Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in six games with six starts … Started all six games, one of seven Huskie defensive players to do so … Finished with 20 tackles, including a tackle for loss … Earned a career-best six tackles and a pass break up against Central Michigan (11-11).
High School
Three-year varsity letterwinner at defensive end … Ranked 26th in Wisconsin and 114th nationally among defensive ends according to 247sports.com … Selected as a finalist for the Tim Krumrie Award, presented to the Top Senior Defensive Lineman … Named team captain all three years on varsity and was a three-time All-Southeastern Conference player … Made the all-county team in 2017 and 2018 and was all-region and honorable mention All-State his senior season … Credited with 93 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks for the Panthers in the 2019 regular season … Washington Park Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore with 85 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks and 11 pass break-ups … As a junior, he had 72 tackles, seven sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, 11 batted balls, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt … Tallied 38 stops his junior year with three PBUs and two fumbles forced … Recovered a pair of fumbles his sophomore season … Team won the conference championships in 2017 and advanced to the playoffs his freshman and senior seasons.
Personal
Full name is Raishein Romeil Thomas but he goes by the nickname "Ray" ... Born on March 20, 2002 … Son of Evelyn and Roscoe Thomas … A kinesiology major.
Social Media
X – @RaisheinT20
Instagram – 262_kid
Career-Highs Entering 2025
Tackles: 11, vs. Tulsa (09/23/2023) *
Tackles for Loss: 4.0, at Western Michigan (11/09/2022) *
Sacks: 2.0, vs. Akron (11/13/2024) *
QB Hurries: 2, 4x, last vs. Ohio (10/14/2023) *
Pass Breakups: 2, vs. Bowling Green (10/16/2021) *
Forced Fumbles: 1, vs. Central Michigan (11/02/2022) *
Fumble Recoveries: 1, 2x, last vs. Eastern Michigan (10/02/2021) *
* Career-high set at Northern Illinois
2024 Academic All-MAC
2023 CSC Academic All-District
2023 Academic All-MAC
2023 MAC West Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 25 at Kent State)
2022 Academic All-MAC
2021 Academic All-MAC
Career Notes
Played in 49 career games with 41 starts … Following the 2024 season, had 198 career tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, nine pass breakups and one forced fumble.
2024 (Graduate Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in four games with zero starts ... Earned a redshirt … Recorded 12 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one pass breakup … Made his season debut at Ball State on Oct. 26 and played in four-straight games through Nov. 19 at Miami (OH).
2023 (Senior Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 13 games with 13 starts … Finished the season with a team-leading 74 tackles, the most by any defensive lineman in the country … Only FBS defensive lineman to lead his team in tackles, and the first NIU defensive lineman in school history to lead the Huskies in tackles on the season … Added a pair of quarterback sacks and his 7.5 tackles for loss led the Huskies … Recorded at least three tackles in every game … Named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after making nine tackles with one for loss in the win at Kent State (11-25) … Contributed six tackles and was in on a sack in the Camellia Bowl win over Arkansas State (12-23) … Made six tackles versus both Eastern Michigan (10-21) and Ball State (11-7) with a half tackle for loss against the Cardinals … Recorded five stops versus Ohio (10-14) … Led all players with 11 tackles versus Tulsa (9-23) with a tackle for loss and half a sack … The 11 tackles, including seven solo stops and four assists, were the most by a Huskie defensive lineman since 2013 (Ken Bishop, 11 vs. Toledo … Credited with five tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup at Nebraska (9-16) … Has recorded at least five tackles in a game 15 times in his career … Totaled four tackles, including two for loss and his first sack of the year against Southern Illinois (9-9) … Had five stops and two quarterback hurries in NIU’s overtime win at Boston College (9-2) … A preseason Second Team All-MAC choice by Phil Steele and preseason third team All-MAC by PFF and Athlon … Earned CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC Honors … Named Defensive Most Valuable Player following 2023 spring practices.
2022 (Junior Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 12 games with 11 starts … Honored as the team’s defensive lineman of the year following the season … Totaled 44 tackles, led the Huskies with 9.0 tackles for loss and broke up three passes … Credited with at least two tackles in 11 of 12 games … Made five tackles with half a sack in season-opening win over Eastern Illinois (9-1) … Recorded a four-yard sack and five tackles at Tulsa (9-10) … Also tallied five tackles at Ball State (10-1) … One of his two tackles versus Toledo (10-8) went for loss … Registered three tackles and half a tackle for loss in win at Eastern Michigan (10-15) … Made a season-high eight tackles against Central Michigan (11-2), adding a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble … Recorded a career high four tackles for loss and a pass break-up in NIU’s win at Western Michigan (11-9) … Earned Academic All-MAC honors.
2021(Sophomore Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 14 games with 11 starts … Led all Huskie defensive linemen, and ranked seventh on the team, with 48 tackles while playing in all 14 games and making 11 starts … Totaled 19 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and half a sack, broke up three passes and recovered two fumbles … Tallied three tackles in the MAC Championship Game (12-4) versus Kent State and two in the Cure Bowl game versus Coastal Carolina (12-17) … Made two tackles or more in 13 games … Twice totaled a career high six stops - vs. Wyoming (9-11), when he also recovered a fumble and had a tackle for loss, and vs. Ball State (11-10) … Added a half tackle for loss and broke up a pass versus the Cardinals … Second fumble recovery came in the Eastern Michigan (10-2) game, when he made four tackles … Knocked down two passes with a pair of tackles against Bowling Green (10-16) … Posted five stops and was in on a sack in NIU’s 22-21 Boneyard Win at Georgia Tech (9-4) … Contributed five stops at Kent State (11-3) and versus Western Michigan (11-23) … Member of the 2021 Academic All-MAC team.
2020 (True Freshman Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in six games with six starts … Started all six games, one of seven Huskie defensive players to do so … Finished with 20 tackles, including a tackle for loss … Earned a career-best six tackles and a pass break up against Central Michigan (11-11).
High School
Three-year varsity letterwinner at defensive end … Ranked 26th in Wisconsin and 114th nationally among defensive ends according to 247sports.com … Selected as a finalist for the Tim Krumrie Award, presented to the Top Senior Defensive Lineman … Named team captain all three years on varsity and was a three-time All-Southeastern Conference player … Made the all-county team in 2017 and 2018 and was all-region and honorable mention All-State his senior season … Credited with 93 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks for the Panthers in the 2019 regular season … Washington Park Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore with 85 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks and 11 pass break-ups … As a junior, he had 72 tackles, seven sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, 11 batted balls, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt … Tallied 38 stops his junior year with three PBUs and two fumbles forced … Recovered a pair of fumbles his sophomore season … Team won the conference championships in 2017 and advanced to the playoffs his freshman and senior seasons.
Personal
Full name is Raishein Romeil Thomas but he goes by the nickname "Ray" ... Born on March 20, 2002 … Son of Evelyn and Roscoe Thomas … A kinesiology major.
Social Media
X – @RaisheinT20
Instagram – 262_kid
Career-Highs Entering 2025
Tackles: 11, vs. Tulsa (09/23/2023) *
Tackles for Loss: 4.0, at Western Michigan (11/09/2022) *
Sacks: 2.0, vs. Akron (11/13/2024) *
QB Hurries: 2, 4x, last vs. Ohio (10/14/2023) *
Pass Breakups: 2, vs. Bowling Green (10/16/2021) *
Forced Fumbles: 1, vs. Central Michigan (11/02/2022) *
Fumble Recoveries: 1, 2x, last vs. Eastern Michigan (10/02/2021) *
* Career-high set at Northern Illinois
FOOTBALL | Trevion Williams Game Week vs. Northern Illinois Media Session
Monday, September 15
FOOTBALL | Blake Shapen Game Week vs. Northern Illinois Media Session
Monday, September 15
FOOTBALL | Branden Jennings Game Week vs. Northern Illinois Media Session
Monday, September 15
FOOTBALL | Jacoby Jackson Game Week vs. Northern Illinois Media Session
Monday, September 15
