Northern Illinois Huskies#18 · DE Jay'shon Thomas
87 Overall rating steady- Height
- 6-4
- Weight
- 246 lb
- Class
- Junior
- Hometown
- Cataula, GA
Jay'shon Thomas is a DE (#18) for Northern Illinois, from Cataula, GA. In the 2026 season he has 13 tackles and 0.5 sacks over 4 games. Season-by-season stats and the game log are below.
Skill profile
Production
Tackles 17
Sacks 18
Interceptions 3
Passes defensed 3
Forced fumbles 3
Splash plays 16
Efficiency
Tackles per game 15
Sack rate 17
Coverage 3
Ball-hawking 3
Run defense 17
Havoc rate 13
Measurables
Height 18
Weight 15
Frame 17
Experience 13
How we rate The MOUNTAINWESTFOOTBALL.CO skill model methodology & sources
Every rating is produced by our own model. Not a vendor score. Each skill is graded 0-20 by where a player ranks against others at his position, and the Overall is a position-normalized rating where an elite player tops out near 96 (a rare 97 plus is reserved for all-time greats) so a cornerback and a receiver read on the same scale. Ratings are built through week 6 of the 2026 season and refreshed every week through the season, so the ▲/▼ beside the Overall is the genuine move since last week.
- Data. Real box-score production from CollegeFootballData, drawn from official game stats.
- Method. Each stat is turned into a within-position percentile, then blended across a player's recent seasons, weighted by games played so recent, full seasons lead and an injury year does not sink the score.
- People. Compiled by The MOUNTAINWESTFOOTBALL.CO Desk and checked by Coverage Review against the official book.
- Updates. Recomputed on Mondays once the week's games are final. Corrections are logged in our editorial & corrections policy.
2026 season
13
Tackles
0.5
Sacks
0
Interceptions
2.5
Tackles for loss
0
Passes defended
0
Forced fumbles
Jay'shon Thomas career stats by year
| Season | Tm | G | Tackles | Sacks | INT | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | NIU | 4 | 13 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | NIU | 9 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | All | 13 | 32 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season totals, 2025 to 2026. Source: CollegeFootballData.
Schedule and results
Status
Result
Season
28
35
35
7
25
6
17No games match these filters.
Box score log
| Date | Opp | Result | TKL | SACK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26 | at Georgia State | L 14-35 | 2 | 0 |
| Sep 19 | at Arizona | L 17-42 | 5 | 0 |
| Sep 12 | vs Illinois State | L 24-28 | 3 | 0.5 |
| Sep 5 | at Iowa | L 0-40 | 3 | 0 |
Career timeline
- NowNorthern Illinois DE: #18
- ClassJunior
- HometownCataula, GA
Jay'shon Thomas: Northern Illinois DE profile and stats
Jay'shon Thomas is a DE (#18) for Northern Illinois, from Cataula, GA. This profile tracks Jay'shon Thomas's season stats, skill ratings and game log through the 2026 season, and links straight into the Northern Illinois roster, the Mountain West players hub and the conference schedule. To see where Northern Illinois sits in the race, check the live Mountain West standings.
Jay'shon Thomas in the news
All newsPreviewAir Force at Northern Illinois: how to watch, Week 6 2026Week 6: Air Force visits Northern Illinois at Huskie Stadium. Kickoff is 7:30 PM ET, on CBSSN.2026-10-07RecapGeorgia State beat Northern Illinois 35-14 (Week 4, 2026)Georgia State beat Northern Illinois 35-14 at Center Parc Stadium. Now Georgia State is 3-1, and Northern Illinois is 0-4.2026-09-26RecapArizona beat Northern Illinois 42-17 (Week 3, 2026)Arizona beat Northern Illinois 42-17 at Arizona Stadium. Now Arizona is 2-1, and Northern Illinois is 0-3.2026-09-19
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Frequently asked questions
What team does Jay'shon Thomas play for?
Jay'shon Thomas plays for Northern Illinois, wearing #18 at DE.
What position does Jay'shon Thomas play?
Jay'shon Thomas is a DE for Northern Illinois.
How tall is Jay'shon Thomas?
Jay'shon Thomas is 6-4 and weighs 246 lb.
What year is Jay'shon Thomas in?
Jay'shon Thomas is listed as a junior on the Northern Illinois roster.
Where is Jay'shon Thomas from?
Jay'shon Thomas is from Cataula, GA.
How many tackles does Jay'shon Thomas have?
Jay'shon Thomas has 13 tackles in the 2026 season. Full numbers are in the stats above.