Seahawks Draft Profile: Cameron Thomas

After wreaking havoc in 2021, Mountain West defensive player of the year Cameron Thomas is aiming to aid the pass rush of an NFL team. Despite the flurry of moves they've made this offseason, the Seahawks need to add depth along the edge and Thomas offers a skillset Seattle covets.

With the 2022 NFL Draft set to kick off in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 28, the Seahawks will have a chance to kickstart a new era for the franchise with eight selections, including a top-10 pick and four picks total in the first three rounds.

Over the next month leading up to draft weekend, the AllSeahawks writing staff will dish out in-depth profiles on numerous prospects who could be targets on Seattle's big board.

Next up in the series: a way for the Seahawks to get a boost in the pass rush. With a revamped defensive staff, could they get the most out of a versatile pass rusher like Cameron Thomas? 

Background

A San Diego native, Thomas stayed local after being a three-star defensive end for Carlsbad High School, committing to San Diego State. The Aztecs used him in a variety of ways along the front seven of the defense. He got better each year and 2021 was the pinnacle of his college career.

In 14 games, he racked up 20.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. He was a menace along SDSU's defensive line for the better part of three years. The Aztecs had a top-15 defense in the FBS and finished 12-2. Thomas was one of the main reasons why. 

Strengths

Thomas has ideal length at 6-foot-4 with 321/2 inch arms. He is essentially the same size as current Seahawks edge rusher Darrell Taylor.

At SDSU, Thomas was asked to rush from a multitude of different angles and positions. He has the length and athleticism to rush from the outside, as well as the power and technique to be an interior rusher. 

His initial punch and power moves are excellent, which do not allow offensive linemen to get into his body and take him out of the equation easily. 

He has a deep repertoire of rush moves and mixes them up well. 

Weaknesses

The obvious one is that he was not consistently tested with NFL talent opposite him on the field in the Mountain West Conference. However, playing lesser competition didn't hinder Trey Hendrickson (FAU) or Matt Judon (Grand Valley State) from becoming Pro Bowl-level pass rushers.

While he is polished in his hand power and technique, he lacks the sheer girth needed to be a consistent threat in the interior. If he truly wants to be a versatile threat all over the defensive line in the NFL, he will need to add some mass to his frame. 

At times, he can be caught standing too upright in his outside rushes. This helps the more talented, sizeable tackles neutralize his pass rushing. 

Fit in Seattle

Pass rush depth in the NFL is like pitching in baseball—you can never have too much of it. While the Seahawks have Darrell Taylor, fresh off of a solid 6.5-sack season, along with newcomer Uchenna Nwosu off the edge, it's not enough. The Seahawks parted with Carlos Dunlap and Benson Mayowa. Rasheem Green is still a free agent. L.J. Collier has the word "bust" hovering over him after being selected in the first round in 2019 and amassing 3.0 sacks in three years. 

Seattle should dip into the pool of pass rushers at least once in the draft later this month. Thomas offers a deep arsenal of moves and ability off the edge and in the interior. If he is still available early on in day two of the draft, the Seahawks should take a long, hard look at selecting him. 

Previous Seahawks NFL Draft Profiles

Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina | Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa | Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State | Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU | Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati | Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA