DQ Thomas

BIOGRAPHY

DQuarius D’Juan Thomas was born on December 12, 1998, and is an established American professional football player. He actively plays as a linebacker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a renowned team representing the Canadian Football League (CFL). DQuarius had a successful stint at Middle Tennessee, achieving an impressive record by becoming the institution’s all-time leader in tackles for loss, with a commendable count of 53. Notably, he embarked on his professional career by signing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in the year 2022.

Before setting foot into college football, Thomas displayed remarkable prowess at the very young age when he played high school football for Oxford High School situated in Oxford, Mississippi. His versatility was evident as he admirably lettered in two physically demanding sports, football and powerlifting. Complimenting his talent, he bagged All-State and All-Region honors. In his auspicious senior season of 2016, he left an indelible mark by recording a whopping 115 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four hurries, and five interceptions playing the role of a safety.

As a fresh college entrant, Thomas succeeded in making a considerable impact by playing all thirteen games and made a start. He concluded the season by registering nine tackles, two sacks, and 2.5 tackles for loss. Against FIU, he exhibited his true skills by making three tackles, one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. The only start of the season came against Charlotte.

Thomas’s sophomore season witnessed a tremendous leap in his performance. He played all fourteen games of the season, making starts to twelve of those games. He was third on the list for his team’s tackles with seventy and led the team with 14.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. A 27–7 win against UAB marked his best performance where he recorded seven total tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble. For this feat, he was acknowledged as the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week.

Following a successful sophomore season, Thomas started twelve of the twelve games he played during his junior season. He grabbed the second position on the team with a career-best of 74 tackles and a team-leading twelve tackles for loss. He also recorded two sacks, two forced fumbles, and a single pass breakup. In a game against Michigan, he shone by leading the team in tackles with ten.

In the next set of matches, Thomas started, and he conquered in all nine games. He secured the third position on the team by registering a score of 67 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. As a team’s linebacker, he managed to lead in snaps with 660. He again broke his record against North Texas where he recorded a career-high twelve tackles in a game.

Thomas started ten of the twelve matches during the penultimate stage of his career at Middle Tennessee, finishing third on the team with 89 tackles. He repeated his career-best of 17 tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions, seven hurries, and a fumble forced and recovery. Thomas made national headlines by ranking ninth in tackles for loss per game with a score of 1.4. Given his influential leadership, he was recognized as a team captain for the season.

Unfortunately, Thomas went undrafted during the 2022 NFL draft but seized an opportunity to sign with the New York Jets on May 6, 2022. His journey with the Jets confronted hurdles as he was released on August 30, 2022. After being momentarily included in the practice squad, he was released again, putting his future in fluctuation.

As fate would have it, on September 20, 2022, Thomas was fortunate to sign with the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad. However, he endured a huge setback on January 6, 2023, due to a broken femur. Consequently, he didn’t sign a futures contract with the team, and his tenure with the Packers came to an end upon the commencement of the free agency period.

Navigating through persistent challenges, Thomas signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on April 25, 2024. Thus, from a motivated, young high school athlete to an accomplished professional footballer, DQuarius D’Juan Thomas continues to add milestones to his illustrious career, unscathed by setbacks and undeterred by challenges, truly embodying the resilience and spirit of a sportsman.