Edge rusher is a position where most believe the New Orleans Saints will use an early selection on in the 2026 NFL Draft. It could come as early as their first round choice, the eighth overall selection. However, Oklahoma Sooners pass rusher R Mason Thomas is among a few talents who could be available to the Saints and other teams in the second day of the draft.
New Orleans got a combined 28.5 sacks, 43 QB hits, and 39 tackles for loss from their ends last season. While Chase Young is only 27 and coming off his best year, Cameron Jordan would be entering his 16th season and remains an unsigned free agent. Carl Granderson is a nice rotational player, but hasn’t been a consistently productive starter. If the Saints go another direction with their first pick, then Thomas might be an answer to complement Young.
R Mason Thomas bio
- Position: Edge rusher
- College: Oklahoma Sooners
- Height: 6-feet, 2 inches
- Weight: 241 pounds
- 40-yard dash: 4.67 seconds
- 10-yard split: 1.63 seconds
Out of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Florida, Thomas would commit to the Oklahoma Sooners. He’d see limited action as a freshman backup in 2022 but would also be sidelined a few games because of hamstring issues. Thomas missed a few games again in 2023, but would see more action when healthy and ended up with 2.5 stops for loss and a sack.
Thomas had 9 sacks and 12.5 stops for loss during a full season for the Sooners in 2024, leading the team in both categories. It was also enough to earn him 2nd Team All-SEC recognition. Last season, he again missed a few games with leg injuries. Still, Thomas flashed enough to earn 1st Team All-SEC honors with 6.5 sacks and 9.5 stops for loss along with 4 forced fumbles over his final two seasons at Oklahoma.
Strengths
- Explosive get-off at snap
- Very good dip around edge to get around blockers
- Takes smart angles to the ball
- Decent power in pass rush
- Good recognition of inside runs
- Excellent pursuit speed
Weaknesses
- Lacks ideal length and size
- Gets routinely dominated by larger blockers
- Doesn’t have the strength or base for a down lineman spot
- Pushed around easily as a run defender
- Missed multiple games in 3 of 4 seasons
R Mason Thomas 2026 draft outlook
If R Mason Thomas were bigger or even had prototype length, he may be mentioned as a late first round sleeper. As it is, his speed around the edge and natural pass rushing skills make him a probable Day 2 choice, perhaps as early as the second round. He has some scheme limitations because of his size and need to add power. However, he can be a very effective situational pass rusher in the right system.
A team like the Saints would employ their ends in a lot of stand-up rushing roles. For Thomas, this is the ideal fit. If New Orleans goes another direction with their first round choice, then R Mason Thomas could definitely upgrade their pass rush and be a passing down complement to Chase Young if available on the second day.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Oklahoma Sooners EDGE R Mason Thomas scouting report