Chicago Bears Sign Oregon State DB Skyler Thomas To UDFA Deal
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No members of Oregon State's football program were selected for the second consecutive season over the weekend. However, some former Beavers will still get a crack at making an NFL roster as rookies this summer.
The Chicago Bears have reportedly signed Oregon State defensive back Skyler Thomas as an undrafted free agent.
A native of Redwood City, California, Thomas spent five seasons in an Oregon State uniform, originally signing with the Beavers as a three-star prospect in the class of 2021.
Thomas quickly became a regular contributor for the Beavers, appearing in 12 contests in 2021 as a true freshman. He returned in 2022 and appeared in all 13 of OSU's games that season, starting in two. He missed the entire 2023 campaign due to an injury suffered in the preseason.
Thomas was Oregon State's leading tackler each of the last two seasons. At 6'2", Thomas demonstrated the abillity to play any position in the secondary. He finished his college career with 191 tackles (109 solo), three interceptions, 17 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein described Bell in the draft process as a "Long safety prospect with intriguing man-cover talent against 'F' tight ends, which could earn him a longer look from NFL scouts."
"Thomas moves around the field like a big cornerback, utilizing good short-area quickness and smooth transitions in coverage. He’s capable in some split-safety looks and is impressive when asked to press pass-catching tight ends working from the slot. Thomas’ tackling must improve, but his special-teams value and coverage potential might earn him a roster spot."
The Bears do not currently have any other Oregon State players on the roster, having parted ways with defensive back Nahshon Wright in the offseason. Wright recently signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the New York Jets.
Thomas joins running back Anthony Hankerson as members of the 2025-2026 Oregon State team to sign UDFA contracts this week.
Chicago begins OTA offseason workouts in late May with the team's mandatory minicamp reportedly set for June 9-11.
About State of the Beavs
Each week, veteran sports broadcaster and writer Matt Bagley examines the news and storylines at play for Oregon State University Athletics. Occasionally joined by contributors for On SI's coverage of the Beavers, as well as the occasional guest spot from Beavers past, present, and future. Get caught up with the playlist below. New episodes are typically released on Tuesday mornings.
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Joe Londergan joined the SI brand in 2023 with G5 Football Daily. With over 15 years of experience in covering and working directly in college and pro sports, Joe's expertise has been featured in Front Office Sports, SB Nation, and XRAY.FM. He is a member of both the Football Writers' Association of America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Joe holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in sports administration from Seattle University. Outside of his writing career, Joe enjoys golfing, although he admits that while he hits driver decently, his short game is a liability.
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