BeaversEdge Top 25 For 2025: No. 3 Skyler Thomas
In the months leading up to the start of fall camp, BeaversEdge.com will be counting down the Top 25 Oregon State football players on the 2025 roster. Want to give your two cents on the rankings? Subscribe to BeaversEdge.com to join The Dam Board and weigh in on the conversation. We continue with safety Skyler Thomas at No. 3…
Skyler Thomas
Defensive Back (safety)
Bio
No. 17
6-foot-2, 215-pounds
Rs-Senior
East Menlo Park, Calif.
Menlo Atherton/Heard County HS
2024 (REDSHIRT JUNIOR)
• Played in all 12 games
• Led Oregon State with 81 tackles. Added one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, an interception and a team-high nine pass breakups
• Recorded at least two tackles in all 12 games and five or more in 11
• Recorded a career-high nine tackles twice; versus Oregon and at California
• Credited with one pass breakup against the Golden Bears
• Intercepted his second career pass – and first since 2021 – in the opener against Idaho State, returning it 15 yards. Had seven tackles in the win
• Finished with seven tackles in back-to-back wins over Purdue and Colorado State. Tallied two breakups against the Boilermakers and one versus the Rams
• Ended the season with a season-best three pass breakups, a forced fumble and five tackles at Boise State
• Had eight tackles with a fumble recovery at Air Force. Followed that game with six tackles, a fumble recovery and pass breakup in the win over Washington State
• Recorded eight tackles at Nevada
2023 (JUNIOR)
• Injured prior to the season and did not play. Redshirted
2022 (SOPHOMORE)
• Played in all 13 games, making two starts
• Totaled 29 tackles with one tackle for loss, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup
• Tallied two tackles against Boise State to open the season
• Finished with three tackles apiece against both Utah and Washington. Had a TFL against the Utes
• Recorded six tackles in the win over California
• Picked up a season-best eight tackles in the win at Arizona State. Added a pass breakup and also recovered a fumble on a muffed Arizona State punt return
2021 (FRESHMAN)
• Played in 12 games
• Finished with three tackles
• Picked off his first career pass, for 26 yards, in the win over Idaho. Also recorded two tackles versus the Vandals
MENLO ATHERTON HIGH SCHOOL/HEARD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
• Letterwinner for head coaches Adhir Ravipati, Steve Papin, Tim Barron and Christopher Saunders
• Played his senior season at Heard County High School in Georgia
• Appeared in five games as a senior, tallying 12 receptions for 182 yards. Defensively, recorded 37 tackles with two tackles for loss. Added one pass deflection and forced one fumble
• Made 35 tackles as a sophomore in 2018, finishing with two tackles for loss. Had one sack and finished with three interceptions and six pass deflections
• Led Menlo Atherton to a 13-2 record as a sophomore. Program won its first ever state title that season
Thomas 2024 Recap
After suffering an ACL injury in fall camp of 2023, Thomas had one of the quickest recoveries and back to full-strength play that we’ve seen in recent memory. He was ready to go by the start of fall camp 2024 and settled into a starting role at strong safety, where he would play and start in all 12 of the Beavers’ games. Thomas led the team with 81 tackles, and also added one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, an interception, and a team-high nine pass breakups. Thomas was the Beavers’ top defensive player in 2024, and that’s why he finds himself as the top-ranked defender in the BeaversEdge Top 25.
Thomas 2025 Outlook
Entering the 2025 campaign, Thomas’ final, he’ll once again be one of, if not the key leader, for the Beavers on defense from his safety spot. Thomas plays the game with a brand of physicality, and he has great football instincts. Additionally, he’s someone the guys in the defensive back room look up to, and he’s been vocal about increasing his leadership. The Beavers look to run a three-man safety rotation this year with Thomas, Jaheim Patterson, and Tyrice Ivy, but look for Thomas to be an every-game starter and play a leading role in the secondary’s efforts. He’ll likely be near the top of the teams’ tackle and pass breakup lists in his final campaign…
Previously
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