LAS VEGAS, Nev. - A recent Northeast Mississippi Community College alumnus has quickly earned enough trust from his new teammates and coaching staff to represent them on the national stage.
Keaton Thomas is one of Baylor (Texas) University's attendants for the 2024 Big 12 Conference Football Media Days presented by Totino's on Wednesday, July 10 at Allegiant Stadium, which is the home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
"I'm so proud of him and the way he's conducted himself to be in this position," said Northeast headman Greg Davis. "For him to come in and have that presence, it speaks of his integrity and the way he approaches things day-to-day."
Thomas joined the Tigers ahead of his sophomore season last fall. He became a first-team All-American after leading both divisions of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) in tackling.
He averaged 11.9 tackles over nine contests. His 107 total stops are tied for the second most in a single season at Northeast in the last three decades along with fellow NJCAA All-American and current University of Missouri linebacker Triston Newson.
The Jacksonville, Fla., product helped the Tigers win their first five games of the year and rise into the top 10 of the NJCAA rankings. Thomas recorded double-digit tackles in four of those victories.
Thomas was selected as the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) Defensive Player of the Week after posting a career-high 16 takedowns during Northeast's victory at Pearl River Community College.
The 6-2, 230-pounder had another sensational performance two weeks later with 11 tackles, an interception and a blocked punt return for a touchdown in the Tigers' triumph against Mississippi Delta Community College.
Thomas also led Northeast with nine tackles for loss. Half of those came during his final two games in a black-and-gold uniform versus Coahoma Community College and Northwest Mississippi Community College.
He chose the Bears from a list of suitors that included 30 NCAA Division I institutions with 10 Power Five offers. Thomas originally signed with another Big 12 member in West Virginia University out of high school.
Thomas was rated as the number two junior college linebacker in the entire country by recruiting service On3. The consensus three-star prospect also secured NJCAA All-Region 23 and all-conference honors while with the Tigers.
This is the second consecutive year in which a former Northeast All-American participated in a Power Five media day. Deantre Prince repped the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) at the annual Southeastern Conference (SEC) preseason event going into his senior campaign.