SI All-American Candidate Jordon Thomas Highlights and Evaluation

Jordon Thomas is a defensive line prospect from Memorial High School in Port Arthur, Texas. Thomas is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: Jordon Thomas
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot 3, 240 pounds
Position: Defensive End
School: Port Arthur (Texas) Memorial
Committed to: Texas
Projected Position: Defensive End 

Frame: Big-chested with thick arms, shoulders and traps. Solid lower-half with athletic thighs and calves. 

Athleticism: Reacts well at the snap and can reduce space well. Has some hip flexibility to clear through entry points with solid torso rotation off the edge. Flashes gap quickness when stabbing inside. Fair agility in space to chase and hunt versus run. 

Instincts: Capable of setting edges with good point-of-attack strength, punch and extension to lock out. Can win against high hats and soft-shoulders to shed clean when reducing gap versus run. Conscious to stay underneath or even with launch points during pass rush. 

Polish: Exclusively lines up on edges with hand down as 5 and 7-technique in a 4-man front. Has solid speed-to-power as a pass-rusher, and flashes 2-hand swipe and a club, which he needs to refine and become more accurate with. Takes some false steps in his vertical pass-rush track. Had an ankle injury as a junior. Raw player who needs a redshirt year and time to develop technique and expand skill set. 

Bottom Line: Thomas has his best days of football ahead of him. He is not an elite technician and is more of a developmental prospect at this point. However, his frame and flashes of solid athleticism allow him to have the potential to be developed. Thomas could progress as a hand-down defensive end in a 4-man front with single gap and gap exchange concepts.