Former Oklahoma Defensive End R Mason Thomas Picked on NFL Draft’s Second Day

After a storied career with the Sooners, R Mason Thomas will begin his professional journey with one of the NFL's most successful franchises in recent memory.

Oklahoma defensive lineman R Mason Thomas (DL60) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Defensive end R Mason Thomas became a star during his last two years at Oklahoma, and now he’ll get the chance to make a similar impact at the professional level.

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Thomas with the No. 40 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday.

During his four years in Norman, Thomas registered 65 total tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and a defensive touchdown. 

Thomas’ breakout season came in 2024, when he logged 12.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks en route to earning Second Team All-SEC honors.

Even though an injury kept him out of the Sooners’ final three regular-season games, the edge rusher was similarly disruptive in 2025. He ended his final college football season with 26 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks and collected First Team All-SEC honors. The Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association both named Thomas a Second Team All-American, too.

Thomas was one of 10 players from OU’s 2025 team that attended the NFL Scouting Combine. The 6-2, 241-pound defensive end ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds, but he did not participate in the bench press, three-cone drill or 20-yard shuttle.

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Thomas will join a Chiefs franchise that has been among the NFL's most successful over the last decade. Kansas City has won three Super Bowls since 2019, most recently winning Super Bowl LVIII in 2023. Last year, the Chiefs regressed and finished 6-11, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

Other edge rushers on the Chiefs' roster include George Karlaftis and Ashton Gillotte. The Chiefs used their first-round selection — pick No. 6 — on LSU defensive back Mansoor Delane.

Several other players from Oklahoma’s 2025 team will likely be picked over the next few days. Defensive tackle Gracen Halton and wide receiver Deion Burks are both top-100 prospects, per Pro Football Focus, while six other Sooners — offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu, defensive end Marvin Jones Jr., linebacker Kendal Daniels, tight end Jaren Kanak, defensive tackle Damonic Williams and safety Robert Spears-Jennings — earned invitations to the combine.

Last year, Oklahoma had only two players from its 2024 squad, linebacker Danny Stutsman and defensive back Billy Bowman Jr., selected. Stutsman and Bowman were both selected in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons, respectively.

The 2026 NFL Draft began on Thursday in Pittsburgh, and it will conclude on Saturday.