Oklahoma Finally Receives Good News on Defensive End R Mason Thomas

The Sooners got a strong indication before the bowl game that their star DE would be back, but he made it official on Monday.

Oklahoma defensive lineman R Mason Thomas / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Finally, R Mason Thomas has made it official.

Thomas, Oklahoma's all-star defensive end who led the team with nine quarterback sacks in 2024, announced Monday via Instagram that he intends to play at Oklahoma in 2025.

R Mason Thomas / R Mason Thomas via Instagram

On Dec. 24, after the Sooners reported to Fort Worth for the Armed Forces Bowl against the U.S. Naval Academy, NIL collective 1Oklahoma announced that Thomas and linebacker Kip Lewis had been retained for their senior seasons.

1Oklahoma, however, quickly deleted the Twitter post. A source close to the program said the collective had simply jumped the gun with its announcement after agreeing with Thomas in principle on his modified NIL package.

Thomas had told media in interviews on Dec. 13 that he was “still in deep thought” about whether to come back for his senior season or leave for the NFL Draft. 

“Talking to my family about it,” he said. 

The 6-foot-2, 243-pound Thomas has seen his impact grow since arriving from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He played in 10 games as a freshman in 2022 and finished with seven tackles, one tackle for loss and half a quarterback sack. In 2023, he fought through injuries and played in nine games, finishing with nine seasons, 2.5 TFLs and one sack.

R Mason Thomas via Twitter/X

He broke out this season with 23 tackles, 12.5 TFLs and nine sacks as well as one forced fumble, two fumbles recovered, 11 QB hurries and one pass defensed. His scoop-and-score touchdown early in the loss at LSU was also a season highlight.

He also earned Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for his work on Sept. 14 against Tulane, and was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week following the Sooners’ big win over Alabama on Nov. 23. Thomas ranked fourth in the SEC and No. 17 in the nation in sacks (0.75 per game).

After taking some hits in the NCAA Transfer Portal, OU's defense has gotten a run of good news lately.

Thomas’ return gives Brent Venables a full compliment of defenders for his fourth season as a head coach and second in the SEC. In addition to Thomas and Lewis, cheetah linebacker/slot corner Kendel Dolby, defensive tackle Damonic Williams and safety Robert Spears-Jennings have all announced their intentions to return to Norman in ’25.

That core group, with the expected returns of middle linebacker Kobie McKinzie, cheetah linebacker Sammy Omosigho, safety Peyton Bowen, cornerback Eli Bowen, defensive tackle Jayden Jackson, cornerback Jacobe Johnson, linebacker Jaren Kanak and defensive linemen David Stone and P.J. Adebawore, among others, gives Venables and his new defensive coordinator an experienced, dynamic foundation upon which to build the Sooner defense in 2025 and beyond.

The Sooners have also received some great news in the past two days via the portal, as former Georgia and Florida State defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. and Oklahoma State safety/linebacker Kendal Daniels announced they would be transferring to OU. Jones Jr. is a former 5-star prospect, while Daniels was the No. 1-ranked prospect in the state of Oklahoma in the 2022 recruiting class.