Trevian Thomas, Safety
Safety Trevian Thomas is a name to watch on the defensive side of the ball. He has appeared in over 30 games at the collegiate level. He appeared in all 12 games last year, with starts in every contest but one.
He was fourth on the team with 71 total tackles and led the team with 41 solo stops. He’s a magnet to the ball. While he’s not the biggest guy, he’s unafraid to stick his nose in for a tackle in the run game.
Where the Sooners’ offense may be able to exploit him may be in coverage as the Sooners’ receiver corps has multiple options that can put pressure on him vertically.
One thing we know about Jeff Lebby is that he loves his “shot” plays that force teams to respect the deep ball. Oklahoma could test Thomas and his safety partner, Eddie Smith, early to see how they respond before the Sooners force one of the safeties to commit to the run game.
Arkansas State can’t be underestimated. They’ve got some talented playmakers who are veterans, which means the atmosphere of playing in front of a major Power Five crowd will likely not scare them. The Sooners’ significant depth advantage should help them wear the Red Wolves down as long as Oklahoma comes out with some fire.
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