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Jersey Number 25
Ray Thomas
- Position:
- DL
- Height:
- 6-4
- Weight:
- 300
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Hometown:
- Racine, Wis.
- High School/Previous School:
- Washington Park HS (Northern Illinois)
Career Honors
2024 Academic All-MAC
2023 CSC Academic All-District
2023 Academic All-MAC
2023 MAC West Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 25 at Kent State)
2022 Academic All-MAC
2021 Academic All-MAC
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Career Notes
Played in 49 career games with 41 starts … Following the 2024 season, had 198 career tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, nine pass breakups and one forced fumble.
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2024Â (Graduate Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in four games with zero starts ... Earned a redshirt … Recorded 12 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one pass breakup … Made his season debut at Ball State on Oct. 26 and played in four-straight games through Nov. 19 at Miami (OH).
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2023Â (Senior Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 13 games with 13 starts … Finished the season with a team-leading 74 tackles, the most by any defensive lineman in the country … Only FBS defensive lineman to lead his team in tackles, and the first NIU defensive lineman in school history to lead the Huskies in tackles on the season … Added a pair of quarterback sacks and his 7.5 tackles for loss led the Huskies … Recorded at least three tackles in every game … Named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after making nine tackles with one for loss in the win at Kent State (11-25) … Contributed six tackles and was in on a sack in the Camellia Bowl win over Arkansas State (12-23) … Made six tackles versus both Eastern Michigan (10-21) and Ball State (11-7) with a half tackle for loss against the Cardinals … Recorded five stops versus Ohio (10-14) … Led all players with 11 tackles versus Tulsa (9-23) with a tackle for loss and half a sack … The 11 tackles, including seven solo stops and four assists, were the most by a Huskie defensive lineman since 2013 (Ken Bishop, 11 vs. Toledo … Credited with five tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup at Nebraska (9-16) … Has recorded at least five tackles in a game 15 times in his career … Totaled four tackles, including two for loss and his first sack of the year against Southern Illinois (9-9) … Had five stops and two quarterback hurries in NIU’s overtime win at Boston College (9-2) … A preseason Second Team All-MAC choice by Phil Steele and preseason third team All-MAC by PFF and Athlon … Earned CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC Honors … Named Defensive Most Valuable Player following 2023 spring practices.
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2022 (Junior Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 12 games with 11 starts … Honored as the team’s defensive lineman of the year following the season … Totaled 44 tackles, led the Huskies with 9.0 tackles for loss and broke up three passes … Credited with at least two tackles in 11 of 12 games … Made five tackles with half a sack in season-opening win over Eastern Illinois (9-1) … Recorded a four-yard sack and five tackles at Tulsa (9-10) … Also tallied five tackles at Ball State (10-1) … One of his two tackles versus Toledo (10-8) went for loss … Registered three tackles and half a tackle for loss in win at Eastern Michigan (10-15) … Made a season-high eight tackles against Central Michigan (11-2), adding a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble … Recorded a career high four tackles for loss and a pass break-up in NIU’s win at Western Michigan (11-9) … Earned Academic All-MAC honors.
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2021(Sophomore Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 14 games with 11 starts … Led all Huskie defensive linemen, and ranked seventh on the team, with 48 tackles while playing in all 14 games and making 11 starts … Totaled 19 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and half a sack, broke up three passes and recovered two fumbles … Tallied three tackles in the MAC Championship Game (12-4) versus Kent State and two in the Cure Bowl game versus Coastal Carolina (12-17) … Made two tackles or more in 13 games … Twice totaled a career high six stops - vs. Wyoming (9-11), when he also recovered a fumble and had a tackle for loss, and vs. Ball State (11-10) … Added a half tackle for loss and broke up a pass versus the Cardinals … Second fumble recovery came in the Eastern Michigan (10-2) game, when he made four tackles … Knocked down two passes with a pair of tackles against Bowling Green (10-16) … Posted five stops and was in on a sack in NIU’s 22-21 Boneyard Win at Georgia Tech (9-4) … Contributed five stops at Kent State (11-3) and versus Western Michigan (11-23) … Member of the 2021 Academic All-MAC team.
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2020 (True Freshman Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in six games with six starts … Started all six games, one of seven Huskie defensive players to do so … Finished with 20 tackles, including a tackle for loss … Earned a career-best six tackles and a pass break up against Central Michigan (11-11).
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High School
Three-year varsity letterwinner at defensive end … Ranked 26th in Wisconsin and 114th nationally among defensive ends according to 247sports.com … Selected as a finalist for the Tim Krumrie Award, presented to the Top Senior Defensive Lineman … Named team captain all three years on varsity and was a three-time All-Southeastern Conference player … Made the all-county team in 2017 and 2018 and was all-region and honorable mention All-State his senior season … Credited with 93 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks for the Panthers in the 2019 regular season … Washington Park Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore with 85 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks and 11 pass break-ups … As a junior, he had 72 tackles, seven sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, 11 batted balls, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt … Tallied 38 stops his junior year with three PBUs and two fumbles forced … Recovered a pair of fumbles his sophomore season … Team won the conference championships in 2017 and advanced to the playoffs his freshman and senior seasons.
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Personal
Full name is Raishein Romeil Thomas but he goes by the nickname "Ray" ... Born on March 20, 2002 … Son of Evelyn and Roscoe Thomas … A kinesiology major.
Social Media
X – @RaisheinT20
Instagram – 262_kid
Career-Highs Entering 2025
Tackles: 11, vs. Tulsa (09/23/2023) *
Tackles for Loss: 4.0, at Western Michigan (11/09/2022) *
Sacks: 2.0, vs. Akron (11/13/2024) *
QB Hurries: 2, 4x, last vs. Ohio (10/14/2023) *
Pass Breakups: 2, vs. Bowling Green (10/16/2021) *
Forced Fumbles: 1, vs. Central Michigan (11/02/2022) *
Fumble Recoveries: 1, 2x, last vs. Eastern Michigan (10/02/2021) *
* Career-high set at Northern Illinois
2024 Academic All-MAC
2023 CSC Academic All-District
2023 Academic All-MAC
2023 MAC West Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 25 at Kent State)
2022 Academic All-MAC
2021 Academic All-MAC
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Career Notes
Played in 49 career games with 41 starts … Following the 2024 season, had 198 career tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, nine pass breakups and one forced fumble.
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2024Â (Graduate Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in four games with zero starts ... Earned a redshirt … Recorded 12 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one pass breakup … Made his season debut at Ball State on Oct. 26 and played in four-straight games through Nov. 19 at Miami (OH).
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2023Â (Senior Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 13 games with 13 starts … Finished the season with a team-leading 74 tackles, the most by any defensive lineman in the country … Only FBS defensive lineman to lead his team in tackles, and the first NIU defensive lineman in school history to lead the Huskies in tackles on the season … Added a pair of quarterback sacks and his 7.5 tackles for loss led the Huskies … Recorded at least three tackles in every game … Named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after making nine tackles with one for loss in the win at Kent State (11-25) … Contributed six tackles and was in on a sack in the Camellia Bowl win over Arkansas State (12-23) … Made six tackles versus both Eastern Michigan (10-21) and Ball State (11-7) with a half tackle for loss against the Cardinals … Recorded five stops versus Ohio (10-14) … Led all players with 11 tackles versus Tulsa (9-23) with a tackle for loss and half a sack … The 11 tackles, including seven solo stops and four assists, were the most by a Huskie defensive lineman since 2013 (Ken Bishop, 11 vs. Toledo … Credited with five tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup at Nebraska (9-16) … Has recorded at least five tackles in a game 15 times in his career … Totaled four tackles, including two for loss and his first sack of the year against Southern Illinois (9-9) … Had five stops and two quarterback hurries in NIU’s overtime win at Boston College (9-2) … A preseason Second Team All-MAC choice by Phil Steele and preseason third team All-MAC by PFF and Athlon … Earned CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC Honors … Named Defensive Most Valuable Player following 2023 spring practices.
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2022 (Junior Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 12 games with 11 starts … Honored as the team’s defensive lineman of the year following the season … Totaled 44 tackles, led the Huskies with 9.0 tackles for loss and broke up three passes … Credited with at least two tackles in 11 of 12 games … Made five tackles with half a sack in season-opening win over Eastern Illinois (9-1) … Recorded a four-yard sack and five tackles at Tulsa (9-10) … Also tallied five tackles at Ball State (10-1) … One of his two tackles versus Toledo (10-8) went for loss … Registered three tackles and half a tackle for loss in win at Eastern Michigan (10-15) … Made a season-high eight tackles against Central Michigan (11-2), adding a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble … Recorded a career high four tackles for loss and a pass break-up in NIU’s win at Western Michigan (11-9) … Earned Academic All-MAC honors.
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2021(Sophomore Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in 14 games with 11 starts … Led all Huskie defensive linemen, and ranked seventh on the team, with 48 tackles while playing in all 14 games and making 11 starts … Totaled 19 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and half a sack, broke up three passes and recovered two fumbles … Tallied three tackles in the MAC Championship Game (12-4) versus Kent State and two in the Cure Bowl game versus Coastal Carolina (12-17) … Made two tackles or more in 13 games … Twice totaled a career high six stops - vs. Wyoming (9-11), when he also recovered a fumble and had a tackle for loss, and vs. Ball State (11-10) … Added a half tackle for loss and broke up a pass versus the Cardinals … Second fumble recovery came in the Eastern Michigan (10-2) game, when he made four tackles … Knocked down two passes with a pair of tackles against Bowling Green (10-16) … Posted five stops and was in on a sack in NIU’s 22-21 Boneyard Win at Georgia Tech (9-4) … Contributed five stops at Kent State (11-3) and versus Western Michigan (11-23) … Member of the 2021 Academic All-MAC team.
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2020 (True Freshman Season - Northern Illinois)
Played in six games with six starts … Started all six games, one of seven Huskie defensive players to do so … Finished with 20 tackles, including a tackle for loss … Earned a career-best six tackles and a pass break up against Central Michigan (11-11).
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High School
Three-year varsity letterwinner at defensive end … Ranked 26th in Wisconsin and 114th nationally among defensive ends according to 247sports.com … Selected as a finalist for the Tim Krumrie Award, presented to the Top Senior Defensive Lineman … Named team captain all three years on varsity and was a three-time All-Southeastern Conference player … Made the all-county team in 2017 and 2018 and was all-region and honorable mention All-State his senior season … Credited with 93 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks for the Panthers in the 2019 regular season … Washington Park Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore with 85 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks and 11 pass break-ups … As a junior, he had 72 tackles, seven sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, 11 batted balls, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt … Tallied 38 stops his junior year with three PBUs and two fumbles forced … Recovered a pair of fumbles his sophomore season … Team won the conference championships in 2017 and advanced to the playoffs his freshman and senior seasons.
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Personal
Full name is Raishein Romeil Thomas but he goes by the nickname "Ray" ... Born on March 20, 2002 … Son of Evelyn and Roscoe Thomas … A kinesiology major.
Social Media
X – @RaisheinT20
Instagram – 262_kid
Career-Highs Entering 2025
Tackles: 11, vs. Tulsa (09/23/2023) *
Tackles for Loss: 4.0, at Western Michigan (11/09/2022) *
Sacks: 2.0, vs. Akron (11/13/2024) *
QB Hurries: 2, 4x, last vs. Ohio (10/14/2023) *
Pass Breakups: 2, vs. Bowling Green (10/16/2021) *
Forced Fumbles: 1, vs. Central Michigan (11/02/2022) *
Fumble Recoveries: 1, 2x, last vs. Eastern Michigan (10/02/2021) *
* Career-high set at Northern Illinois
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