Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas is highlighted as a top prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft, with expectations of being a first-round pick. He is featured on a 'Better-Than Team' due to a belief that he should be selected in the top-15 or higher.
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There is a chance Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas could go in the first round of the NFL Draft next week.
So why is he the captain of my Better-Than Team, a team of players I like better than most scouts?
Because I think he should go top-15 -- and maybe higher.
Thomas has the twitch you want from edge rushers in today's NFL game. What he doesn't have is size. At 6-foot-2, 242, he doesn't have the size to be an every-down end, but he has what it takes to fit as a stand-up rusher. Think Denver pass rusher Nik Bonitto, another former Sooners player. Thomas probably isn't as quick and twitchy as Bonitto, but he plays the run better and has more power.
I like watching good vs. good when I evaluate edge players. Thomas was really good against Will Campbell of LSU in 2024. He also had some really good rushes against Alabama's Kadyn Proctor, who will be a first-round tackle in this draft.
Then, when he matched up with Texas left tackle Trevor Goosby, who some say will be a top-10 pick in next year's draft, Thomas also did some good things against him. Good vs. good matters and Thomas showed up against three NFL-type tackles.
There are a lot of edge rushers getting more attention heading into the draft than Thomas, but teams love him. They love the speed and his ability to play hard all the time. The only major concern is the size.
OKLA • DL • #32
2024-25: 22.0 TFL, 15.5 sacks over past two seasons
There have been some injury issues during his career, forcing him to miss time in each of the past three seasons. He missed three games last season with a hamstring injury. But watching the play in which he hurt his hamstring will only draw you to him even more.
It came against Tennessee when he picked up a fumble and raced 71 yards for a touchdown, looking like a running back breaking away in the open field. You can see on the play where he pulls up yet finishes for the score.
That matters.
Thomas is from South Florida, which I like in my players. They are usually tough and physical and play that way. Thomas certainly does that.
Five years from now, it wouldn't shock me at all to see him as one of the best edge players in this draft -- maybe even the best. That's saying something considering he's probably going to be a second-round pick.
That's why he's on this team. He's my guy in this draft.
[Renner's three-round NFL mock draft: A wide-open top 10 becomes a case study in positional value
Mike Renner
Being a captain of this team puts you in good company with guys like Grady Jarrett, Jason Pierre-Paul and Lavonte David. Not all the captains have hit, but this is one I think will do so in a big way.
Check back in three years. When he has 24 sacks in his first three seasons, just remember I told you so.
Here are the other 19 players on my team:
MEMP • OT • #78
2025: Ninth-highest PFF offensive grade among FBS OT (84.5).
As the college season wound down, I started to hear a lot about Travis Burke, an offensive tackle at Memphis. They raved about him. When I watched the tape, I could see why. This FIU transfer has all the tools to be a good starter at right tackle on the next level. He plays with a nasty streak that shows up on tape as he finishes in the run game, and he has the athletic ability to hold up in pass protection. At nearly 6-foot-9 and 330 pounds, he is a massive man. But he moves well for that size. Once he learns the tricks of the trade in pass protection, he will be a starter for a long time. Getting a player with his size and nastiness will be a treat for an offensive line coach.
NEB • RB • #21
2025: Led Big Ten in carries and rushing yards.
Of all the backs in this draft, Emmett Johnson might have the best vision. I love runners who can see the hole, make a cut, and get positive yards. Guys who can only make plays when the hole is in front of them are concerning for me. This kid has the ability to play with patience and make people miss. At 5-foot-10, 204 pounds, he is a solid back who can break tackles. Some teams have concerns about his speed, but he ran a 4.49 at his pro day to help alleviate those concerns. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield, which helps his value. I love him as a second or third-round pick.
UCLA • IOL • #72
Four-year starter with 49 career starts (second-most in UCLA history).
Garrett DiGiorgio started 49 games in his career at three different spots. He settled in mostly at guard last season and showed why he's better suited to playing inside. He gets after it in the run game and is strong enough in pass protection. At 6-foot-6 ½ and 320 pounds, he has the size teams like. He would also be able to play tackle, so the versatility is a plus. Teams are starved for guys who can play multiple spots as they learn to settle into one as a starter. That's the path I see for DiGiorgio.
ARIZ • CB • #2
2025: Third-team All-American.
Treydan Stukes has good size at nearly 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, but the thing that really is attractive is his versatility. He has played outside, inside and even at safety. That can be testing for some corners, but with his coverage ability and willingness to tackle it was not a problem. He is sometimes too aggressive as a tackler, which can lead to issues. But that can be coached. His tape is fun to watch. He has a one-handed interception against Arizona State in man coverage down the field that showed off his true athleticism. There are also a lot of plays of him making tackles in the run game and coming up to prevent big plays after a catch. With teams looking for versatile players, he would seem to be an attractive fit in any secondary.
OHIOST • EDGE • #92
2025: Third-team All-American; 11.0 sacks (tied for ninth-most in FBS).
Pop on the tape of the star-laden Ohio State defense, and you will see a lot of top-level talent, guys who will go in the upper part of the first round. But as I watched their tape, a guy who kept popping up consistently was defensive end Caden Curry. He actually led the team in sacks with 11, more than other stars like Arvell Reese or Sonny Styles, both projected as top-8 picks. Curry is short at 6-foot-2 ½ and weighs 260 pounds, so physically he isn't imposing. But he makes up for it with his power and his effort. He also slid inside on passing downs, which gives him even more value. He might never be a 10-sack guy, but as a rotational player he will be a nice add to any roster.
TXAM • TE • #87
2025: Burlsworth Trophy nominee (top FBS player who began career as walk-on).
Nate Boerkircher was a walk-on at Nebraska and played there for four years before transferring to Texas A&M last year. He ended up helping his draft stock in a big way with 19 catches and three touchdowns last season, showing off the ability to be a quality in-line blocker. His tape shows a smart player who knows how to sit down in zone and can win against linebackers in coverage. Poor quarterback play held his pass-catching production down. He is older at 24, but he will help a team in need of a blocking tight end.
ND • RB • #24
2025: Ninth FBS player ever with 10+ rush TD and 2+ KR TD in a season.
Jadarian Price was the backup to Jeremiyah Love, who will be a high first-round pick, so he didn't get the touches that others got. Price doesn't have the game-breaking speed of Love, but he's a stronger runner at 6-foot, 210 pounds and he is better at making people miss in the hole. He also has some game speed, as evidenced by this 37.5 average on kickoff returns. I think he has a chance to be as good as Love on the next level, which is saying something.
UGA • WR • #1
2025: 81 receptions (led SEC; 10th in FBS).
At 5-foot-8 ½, 177 pounds, Zachariah Branch has the speed to really scare down the field. I love that. He reminds me some of Tank Dell, a smallish receiver with speed who was on this team in 2024. Branch transferred to Georgia last year from USC and led the SEC in catches with 81. But the yards-per-catch average was just 10.0. For a speed guy, that's way too low. Some of that had to do with the limited route tree he ran at Georgia. One personnel man told me he was the alpha in the room at USC, rather than receiver Makai Lemon, who is projected to be a first-round pick. I love a speed guy, and he has it. Now it's time for a smart offensive coordinator to unleash it.
NAVY • RB • #22
2025: 51 receptions, 941 yards, 6 receiving TD.
Eli Heidenreich was used as a running back mostly at Navy, but he did a lot of damage in the passing game. He's the kind of player who I think can make the transition to slot receiver on the next level. He ran 4.4 at the combine, which is a nice time for a guy who can move the way he does as a receiver. At a bare minimum, he will be a core-4 special teams player, which gives him great value. I think he will end up making a team happy as a slot receiver who can also line up in the backfield at times.
PSU • S • #6
2024: Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP (1 INT, 1 FR)
At 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds, Zakee Wheatley isn't a big-bodied safety, but he sure does throw his body around. He is a good player in the run game, coming up from the deep safety spot. He has the range that teams love in a safety, which is a must in today's game. He also had six interceptions and two forced fumbles in his career. I think he will end up being a steal in the second or third round.
CLEM • WR
2024-25: 15 receiving TD (most in ACC).
Antonio Williams (5-foot-11, 187 pounds) started 38 games in his career and left Clemson with 208 catches. He played mostly in the slot in his time there and showed off quick feet and the ability to win against man coverage. After a big 2024 season with 75 catches, he had 55 last year as he missed two games. Like most Clemson players in 2025, he didn't have his best season. But he's a tough player who will find the soft spots in zones and has the speed to turn them into big plays. Size is the only issue, but he seemed to be able to deal with it on the college level.
TENN • CB • #6
2025: 56 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 5 PD, 2.0 sacks
I love finding tough, feisty slot corners who will battle play in and play out. That's the exact description for Jalen McMurray. At 5-foot-11 184 pounds, he isn't an imposing physical player but he doesn't back down from the fight. Playing on Tennessee teams that could have two first-round corners taken in Jermond McCoy and Colton Hood, he did his part in his 10 starts after transferring from Temple. He will tackle in the run game and he battles when asked to cover. He can also blitz. For a team looking for a late-round corner who can play in the nickel and isn't afraid to throw his body around, McMurray is worth a look.
HOU • TE • #9
2025: Led all FBS TE with 74 receptions.
At 6-foot-6, 247 pounds, Tanner Koziol is a true pass catcher at the tight end position. As a former receiver, this Ball State transfer had 74 catches and six touchdowns in his only season at Houston in 2025. For a team looking for a guy who can help in the blocking area, don't look at him. He's a true pass-catching tight end who can create mismatch issues for defenses. He has the frame to add more weight to better handle the physical style of the NFL game. As a detached tight end, he is worth a look in the fifth round down.
IND • CB • #5
2023-25: Tied for fourth in FBS in non-offensive TD (2 INT return TD, 2 blocked punt return TD).
I know D'Angelo Ponds is small at 5-foot-8 ½ and 185 pounds, but he plays bigger and he plays a lot tougher than you would think from a guy his size playing the corner. He is from South Florida, so he's another that plays with the South Florida swagger. He played outside corner at Indiana, but some teams will move him inside to nickel because of his size. That would be a mistake. I think he can hold up outside. He is a competitor who fights and has the speed to hold up in man coverage. He also will throw his body around as a tackler. I love his game. If he were two inches taller, he'd be a high first-round pick. As it is, I will bet he becomes a top-level corner in the league. Size be damned.
MICH • LB • #1
2025: Four-time Michigan Defensive Player of the Week.
Jaishawn Barham first caught my eye in 2025 playing for the Wolverines when I studied their defense to look at Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Josiah Stewart -- the latter being on this team last year. Barham was an off-ball linebacker for that team, but made the move to edge this year. He did so and impressed. He is a tough, violent player who will hold up in the run game and he's twitchy enough to get pressure. He needs to refine his pass-rush skills, but there is a lot to work with in terms of talent. He might never be a 12-sack player, but he's the type of player you want in your rotation.
SELOU • DL • #2
2025: Southland Conference Player of the Year (led conference with 8.0 sacks).
Kaleb Proctor is a bit undersized at just under 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds and can get overpowered at times, but he can make it problematic for an offensive line with his quickness off the ball. Pop on the LSU tape from last season and you will see him getting two sacks, both with his quickness. On the sacks, he split offensive linemen before they could get a real block on him, one time, it was the guard and tackle and the other time it was the center and guard. He also made a play in the run game for a loss where he looped inside and again showed off his speed and quickness. He had eight sacks last season, but getting two against LSU shows he wasn't awed by the competition. That's a good sign. Size will hold him back some, but for teams looking for pass-rush help inside, he is worth a look.
RUT • QB • #16
2024-25: Two-time team captain
I always look for down-the-line quarterbacks who have a chance to make a roster as a backup and maybe even hang around for a while. Athan Kaliakmanis is it. Watching his games last year on TV, I came away impressed. Watching his tape featured a lot of impressive moments as well. He played the last two seasons at Rutgers after transferring from Minnesota and he threw 38 touchdown passes and 14 picks with the Scarlet Knights. He did have some good receivers, so that helped. He had a tendency to hit the big plays down the field. At 6-foot-2, he isn't huge, but he is big enough. The arm is certainly good enough. He is a down-the-line passer who should make a team as a backup.
TXAM • EDGE • #9
2025: Unanimous All-American (11th in Texas A&M history); SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Most of the talk is Cashius Howell will be a second-round pick. He should be a first-rounder in my book, which is why he's on this team. I love his game. He is a nasty player who never lets up. At 6-foot-2 ½, 245 pounds, he is a strong player who has the twitch and power teams love off the edge. When I watched his tape, the thing that stood out to me was his power. He does have short arms, which concern some teams, but they shouldn't back off of him because of that. I think he will be a really good edge player in the league for a long time. To start, he will be a rotational rusher, but as his career moves along I think he will be so much more.
BUFF • LB • #2
Career: 17 FF (NCAA record).
At just under 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Red Murdock is a thumper in the run game. He has a knack for finding the football. He is a good tackler and made a lot of plays with his ability to get to the ball. He is not great in coverage, which could be a problem for him on the next level. He is athletic, but his movement in coverage wasn't great. Even so, there is a spot for a tenacious tackler like him on the next level. He will make a team on special teams and maybe find a spot on the field down the road.
R Mason Thomas is an edge player from Oklahoma, considered a top prospect due to his skills and potential to be selected in the first round.
The 'Better-Than Team' consists of players who are believed to be undervalued by scouts, with R Mason Thomas being a standout member expected to go higher than projected.
Expectations are that R Mason Thomas could be selected in the top-15 of the NFL Draft, possibly even higher.
Analysts believe R Mason Thomas is a better prospect than most scouts suggest, leading to his inclusion on the Better-Than Team.
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