NC State’s Drake Thomas is the Highest Graded Returning Linebacker in College Football

NC State Linebacker Drake Thomas is the highest graded returning Linebacker in College Football in 2022 according to ProFootballFocus.

The top returning linebackers 💥 pic.twitter.com/KWxO8wijzD

— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 26, 2022

What makes this stat all the more impressive, is the fact that Thomas at one point or another played all three linebacker positions in the Wolfpack’s 3-3-5 defensive scheme due to the injuries of Isaiah Moore and Payton Wilson. It takes a high football IQ to play the three different positions, let alone play all of them well enough to finish the season with an overall grade of 80.0 according to ProFootballFocus.

Thomas finished the 2021 season with 99 tackles, which led the Wolfpack, and ranked 4th in the ACC. He also tallied 13.5 tackles for loss and 6 sacks to boot.

Drake earned 1st Team All-ACC honors in 2011, despite having to play all over the field.