Why Keaton Thomas Is An Improvement At Middle Linebacker

Thomas will make much more of an impact than T.J. Dottery as an Ole Miss Rebel.

Baylor Bears linebacker Keaton Thomas during warmups before the game against the Samford Bulldogs | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last year the Ole Miss Rebels ranked 71st in the country for run defense.

A big reason they lost to the University of Miami in the semifinal was that their defense couldn’t stop anything at the line of scrimmage. One of the brighter spots on that Rebels squad was linebacker TJ Dottery.

Dottery transferred to LSU after that heartbreaking loss, but Pete Golding had already signed his replacement to Ole Miss.

Just two days after the Sugar Bowl, Keaton Thomas, a linebacker from Baylor, committed to play in Oxford and will be a big part in helping improve the Rebels' run defense.

Thomas’ impact on the field

Baylor Bears linebacker Keaton Thomas chases SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Thomas dominated during his two years with Baylor. He totaled 219 tackles, with 117 of them being solo tackles.

He also had 14 tackles for loss, with three and a half of them coming from sacking the quarterback.

In an interview with the Rebel Walk, Golding shared that Thomas is the most complete linebacker he has coached in a long time.

Thomas has proved that he can fly all over the field and swarm to the ball. This will be very important to Golding's style of defense. Ole Miss runs a 4-2-5 defense, which features two linebackers on the field.  

Thomas will be relied on heavily to plug holes in the defensive line and prevent running backs from getting any further into the second level.

He will make a big impact on and off the field for the Rebels in 2026.

Thomas’s impact off the field

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Pete Golding speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In addition, Golding also shared in an interview with the Rebel Walk that Thomas is much more than a great linebacker.

“He’s wired the right way, he leads by example, he loves football. He’s an unbelievable human being and shows leadership.”  

That's high praise coming from a former safety and a head coach. Thomas will be able to make a big impact on his teammates around him.

He will be an important leader with senior linebacker Sunarine Perkins and will be able to rally and make big plays for the Rebels' defense in 2026.

Even though Thomas is a transfer, it is clear that he has already assumed a leadership role in Oxford. It is also clear that he will have a huge impact on the Rebels' defense this season.

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