A five-year Oregon State starter who converted from cornerback to safety and turned into one of the stingiest coverage men in the Big Sky and Pac-12 alike.
Skyler Thomas spent five seasons in Corvallis, surviving a torn-up 2023 to become a fixture in the Oregon State secondary. He went undrafted in 2026 but landed with the Chicago Bears, bringing a physical, box-safety skill set and heavy special-teams experience to a rebuilding roster.
Path to the league
A three-star recruit out of Heard County High School in Georgia, Thomas committed to Oregon State over California and moved from cornerback to safety during his time with the Beavers. He went unselected in the 2026 NFL draft and signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent.
Career highlights
Thomas started at safety for Oregon State's final two seasons, posting a team-high 81 tackles, nine pass deflections and an interception in 2024. He missed the 2023 season with a training-camp knee injury but returned to be one of the most experienced defensive backs in his draft class, logging 671 special-teams snaps over four seasons, the fourth-most of any 2026 prospect.
2025 season recap
In his final year at Oregon State, Thomas played all 12 games and recorded 78 tackles, four pass deflections and an interception, allowing just nine completions on 25 targets in coverage. His physical, box-safety play and reliability against the run made him a Day 3 target for several teams before he signed with Chicago.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Skyler Thomas
- Yahoo Sports: Productive safety prospect in 2026 NFL draft on Jaguars' radar
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Safety
- Group
- defense
- College
- Oregon State
- Hometown
- Menlo Park, CA, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
