Tag: Xavier Thomas

Cardinals take Clemson EDGE Xavier Thomas in Round 5

The Cardinals’ first pick in the fifth round is Xavier Thomas, who played six seasons for Clemson.

The Arizona Cardinals have added another defensive player, finally addressing the outside linebacker or defensive edge. With the first of two scheduled fifth-round picks, the Cardinals selected Clemson EDGE Xavier Thomas. He was the 138th overall pick in the draft.

Thomas is 6-foot-2 and weighed in at the NFL combine at 244 pounds and 253 at his pro day. He was listed at 270 pounds on Sports Reference for his college stats.

He is an older prospect, having played six seasons. He is 24 years old and will be 25 in December.

In six seasons, he had 18 sacks and 33 tackles for loss. In 2023, he had 25 tackles, three sacks and four tackles for loss.

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Xavier Thomas drafted No. 138 overall to the Arizona Cardinals

Xavier Thomas joins a the Arizona Cardinals.

Xavier Thomas’ NFL dreams have come true.

The Arizona Cardinals drafted Thomas No. 138 pick in the 5th round of the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s a fifth round selection for the team.

Injuries were huge part of Thomas’ story with the Tigers. If life were like a video game and we could turn off injuries, Thomas likely would have been a first round pick a few years ago.

In his long Clemson career, Thomas totaled 121 tackles, 34 for loss, and 17.5 sacks. He was an excellent Tiger and has a strong opportunity to be an excellent pro.

Thomas has an opportunity to compete for minutes right away with the Cardinals and will look to make the most of the situation.

Panthers 2024 post-combine meetings tracker

Does anybody need a list of 2024 draft prospects the Panthers have spoken with thus far? We got you.

The 2024 scouting combine is now in the books. 40s have been dashed, 20s have been shuttled, benches have been pressed and vertical and broads have been jumped.

Oh, and there were plenty of talks to be had.

Among the annual activities at the combine are the meetings between prospects and potentially interested teams. And as far as the Carolina Panthers are concerned, we may have to pay a bit more attention to who they’re talking to since their first pick doesn’t pop up until the second round.

So, we’ll help you out.

Here are all the known players—whether they were at the combine, Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl or even the College Gridiron Showcase—the Panthers have spoken with to this point:

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Xavier Thomas top 5 in the 40-yard dash for defensive ends at the 2024 NFL Combine

Xavier Thomas was cramping up but still ranked in the top 5 in the 40-yard dash for defensive ends at the 2024 NFL Combine.

The 2024 NFL Combine has kicked off, with former Clemson defensive end Xavier Thomas getting the opportunity to showcase what he can bring to the table with his athleticism at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Thomas ended up with the 4th fastest 40 times at the position, running an unofficial time of 4.63 seconds on his first and a 4.64 on his second. His official time was 4.62.

A strong 40-yard dash from Thomas, expectations are that he will be even faster at his pro day. It initially looked like he may have been injured during the combine, but he took to Twitter to explain why he didn’t look 100%.

During his career with the Tigers from 2018-23, Thomas recorded 133 tackles (34.0 for loss), nine pass breakups, six forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries over 61 career games (30 starts). An explosive athlete, Thomas will look toward his pro day now, where he can really shine.

Penn State OT Caedan Wallace showing flashes as Shrine Bowl approaches

OT Caedan Wallace putting scouts on notice just days before Shrine Bowl

After starting 39 games at right tackle for Penn State over the past four seasons (the most of any player on the roster), [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag] will suit up for the East Team in Frisco during the East-West Shine Bowl on Thursday. Wallace will suit up alongside former Nittany Lion teammate center Hunter Nourzad, who is also playing for the East team.

Other former Nittany Lions, linebacker [autotag]Curtis Jacobs[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Daequan Hardy[/autotag], will be playing for the West team.

Throughout the first few days of practice that began on Saturday, Wallace received rave reviews from media members.

Carney also mentioned that Wallace was getting work at left tackle and that his athleticism should go up in a big way in both spots. An offensive lineman holding the necessary athleticism to play both tackle positions is massive for NFL teams.

Wallace is one of the East team’s four tackles, along with Illinois’ Julian Pearl, Maryland’s Gottlieb Ayedze, and Oklahoma’s Walter Rouse. Wallace and the rest of the East team will be coached by Chicago Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower. The offensive line coaches for the East are Luke Stocker, an offensive assistant coach for the Tennessee Titans, and New York Jets offensive line coach Ben Wilkerson.

With Clemson’s Xavier Thomas and Colorado State’s Mo Kamara lining up on the edges, Wallace is getting reps against two top 20 edge defenders in the 2024 draft. With already positive reviews coming in for Wallace, it points to a rise of his draft stock, especially considering that many coaches at these pre-draft all-star games put more stock into the practices than the actual game.

Wallace projects as a late-round pick, perhaps as high as a fifth-rounder, considering his performances in Frisco this week.

The Shrine Bowl is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 1, at 8 p.m. ET. The game will air on NFL Network and be played at the Dallas Cowboys practice facility known as “The Star.”

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Clemson star freshman makes a number change

Clemson’s star freshman, TJ Parker, is changing his number.

Clemson’s No.3 has been dawned for a long time by Xavier Thomas, whose time with the Tigers came to an end after the Tigers’ 38-35 Gator Bowl win over Kentucky.

With Thomas on his way out of the program, the No.3 will stay on the defensive line and go to another standout who is looking to build a legacy of his own in the program. Standout pass rusher TJ Parker confirmed via X (Twitter) that he is transitioning from the No.12 he wore his freshman year to No.3.

While I doubt it was the intention of the two players, it is, in a way, a passing of the torch from Thomas to Parker. In 2024, there are no doubts that Parker will be the Tigers’ top pass rusher and one of the most essential pieces of Clemson’s defense.

Xavier Thomas shares an emotional farewell message for Clemson fans

Xavier Thomas shared a farewell message for Clemson fans as his time with the program has come to an end.

All good things have to come to an end at some point.

Long-time Clemson defender Xavier Thomas took to social media following the bowl game, sharing an emotional message for Tigers’ fans as his time at Clemson has come to an end after his 6th season with the program.

In his final performance in the Gator Bowl, Thomas recorded a sack and a forced fumble as the Tigers took down Kentucky 38-35 for a wild win. The edge rusher entered the Gator Bowl with 142 tackles (33.0 for loss), nine pass breakups, five forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries over 60 games (29 starts) from 2018-23.

Check out Thomas’ message below as he reflects on his journey with the Clemson program and thanks fans as he prepares for the next step in his football career.

3 Reasons Clemson picks up a Gator Bowl win over Kentucky

Here are three reasons Clemson will walk away with a Gator Bowl win over Kentucky on Friday.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program are a day away from their matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats in this year’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.

The game takes place on Dec. 29 in Jacksonville, Fla., at Noon. It is Clemson’s 50th bowl appearance and the 10th time they will participate in the Gator Bowl. Clemson (8-4, 4-4 ACC) will face a Kentucky (7-5, 3-5 SEC) team with talent on both sides of the ball, being coached by one of the best in the game, Mark Stoops.

This game can go either way, but Clemson is the favorite heading into this matchup for a reason. The Tigers have more than what it takes to win this game and end their season on a high note. Here are three reasons Clemson will pick up a Gator Bowl win over Kentucky.

Xavier Thomas shares his decision on Clemson’s bowl game

Clemson fans will be able to see Thomas play in a Clemson jersey one last time.

The Clemson football program and fans received great news from defensive end Xavier Thomas on Tuesday.

Thomas announced that he would play in Clemson’s bowl game, a decision many heading for the NFL don’t make. Entering the season with 116 career tackles (30.0 for loss), 14.5 sacks, five pass breakups, five forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery over 49 games (19 starts) from 2018-22, Thomas has totaled 20 tackles (three for loss), two sacks and a pass breakup across 10 games this season.

“Yessir, one last time,” Thomas told a Clemson fan about playing in the bowl game. “This program has given me everything & more when they could have moved on when I was down & out. I have to give my all in return. Grateful to even be able to play the game of football again. Finishing it out before we head to the league.”

Clemson fans get a treat and a final send-off for a six-year veteran who has been through a lot with the program.

Gallery: Clemson tops South Carolina, celebrates at Williams-Brice Stadium

Check out the best photos from Clemson’s road win over South Carolina on Saturday night.

Clemson defeated South Carolina 16-7 at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, and the Tigers understandably were happy to celebrate the rivalry win.

In the nine-point victory, Clemson’s defense was the story of the game, as it held South Carolina to 169 total yards and seven points while forcing two turnovers. While the Tigers’ offense struggled to earn points, the defense came up clutch when it mattered, with true freshman defensive back Khalil Barnes recording both takeaways, including a 42-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the first quarter.

With the win, the Tigers reclaimed the Palmetto Bowl Trophy and moved their all-time record versus the Gamecocks to 73-43-4.

Here are some of the best photos from the game: