Thayer

Thomas

Thomas (6'0/195) has been a great second option for quarterback Devin Leary as he finished with his second straight season with over 500 receiving yards. He should play a big part in the Wolfpack offense that finished second in the ACC Atlantic in 2021.

Thomas (6'0/195) connected with quarterback Devin Leary on an eight-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter to put NC State up 38-10, which was Leary’s second and final touchdown pass of the afternoon. Thomas now has 47 receptions on the season for 548 yards and 7 touchdowns as he and the Wolfpack will look to secure their ninth win of the season next weekend against North Carolina.

Thomas was a constant safety valve for QB Devin Leary, and he led the team in catches. He was also the clear target in the red zone. His first touchdown was a perfect high point on a lob which he brought down, and for his second Thomas found the gaps in the zone and was available for a bullet from Leary for a 27-yard score. He didn’t have the biggest plays, but he was the safe option all game. Thomas is up to six touchdowns on the year, and has had great games now back-to-back. He draws Louisville next week.

Thomas (6'0/195) had the big blow near the end of the third quarter, hooking up with QB Devin Leary for a 79-yard pass and catch to put the game out of reach at 31-7. That was really the final nail in the coffin for the Eagles, and it was a pass that originally wasn’t even intended for him, but he leaped in front of TE Christopher Toudle, then turned it upfield for the rest of the 61 yards to paydirt. It was his best yardage total since posting 135 yards in a win over Florida State Nov. 14, 2020. Next up is a trip to Miami on Saturday.

The 6-foot-1, 193-pound wideout saved his team’s bacon more than once as the Wolfpack had a tougher time with Syracuse than expected. Thomas’ second touchdown, a 15-yarder from Bailey Hockman just over the hands of a Syracuse defender, pulled NC State within two points of the Orange early in the third. Two drives later, Thomas’ nine-yard TD catch in the back of the end zone answered a Syracuse score and once again pulled the Pack to within a two-point deficit. NCSU outscored Syracuse 9-0 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win. The 7-3 Wolfpack, with six conference wins, have a chance to set a new program record for ACC wins in a season next week in the regular season finale against Georgia Tech.

The NC State passing offense looked as good as it has all season on Saturday. While QB Bailey Hockman certainly played well, Thomas played a large hand in how effective the passing offense could be. At 6-foot-0 and 195-pounds, Thomas threatened the Florida State defense from all over. On one of his touchdowns, Thomas caught a ‘glance’ route (a deep slant) over the middle on an RPO, helping NC State extend their lead at the time to 14-0.

An early enrollee, Rooks (6'1/185) was considered by many outlets to be the top prospect in NC State’s 2020 recruiting haul. With that being the case, it comes as no surprise that the freshman is in the mix for immediate playing time. Rooks, who HC Dave Doeren complimented for his consistency in practices, and Thayer Thomas are listed as the co-starters at slot receiver.

With Kelvin Harmon and Jacobi Meyers both out the door -- they accounted for 173 catches and 2,233 receiving yards last season -- there is currently a vacuum in the receivers room. Thomas should be able to help fill that vacuum. Last fall, the 6-foot-1, 193-pound redshirt sophomore recorded a 34-383-3 receiving line. Clark believes he could double those numbers during the coming campaign.

Thomas also had his arm in a sling against Marshall, but that appears to have been precautionary. The 6-foot-1, 193-pound wideout had a monster game against Georgia State two weeks ago, and was on his way to a big game before suffering the injury against the Thundering Herd. Assuming Thomas can go, he should get run, but there are a lot of mouths to feed in the Wolfpack offense.

Having caught nine passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in NC State’s Sept. 8 win over Georgia State, Thomas appeared to be on his way to putting forth another quality performance Saturday night at Marshall. However the redshirt freshman accounted for just two receptions and 45 receiving yards as a result of the injury, which ultimately required Thomas to use a sling. The specifics of the injury, and how long Thomas will be out of the lineup, have yet to be announced.