Jacob Thomas might have arrived in Minnesota as the kind of player easy to overlook. An undrafted safety out of James Madison, he’s not the name that jumps off the page in a camp full of premium picks and established veterans. But he’s been hard to miss anyway.
Through standard practices, the night workout in front of 6,000 fans at TCO Stadium, and the Vikings’ first preseason game, Thomas has shown up everywhere. He’s been around the ball, closed space quickly, and looked comfortable moving all over the field.
“Jake is a very smart player,” said Vikings corner Byron Murphy Jr., a seven-year veteran. “Most of the time, he’s in the right spot, just knowing what he’s doing.”
That kind of praise fits the way Minnesota’s defense operates under Brian Flores. He wants players who can process quickly, handle adjustments at the line, and tackle with confidence in a blitz-heavy system.
Flores has never cared much about where a player came from; production is what matters. That’s how undrafted players like Jalen Redmond have carved out roles, how Andrew Van Ginkel has thrived after being drafted in the fifth round, and how Josh Metellus has become a key piece after arriving as a sixth-round pick.
Thomas is trying to follow that same path. The Vikings have moved him around during practice, and he’s handled the different assignments without looking lost.
“He’s kind of everywhere,” said Murphy. “He’s one of those guys that plays multiple positions.
You see him come in every single day. He just knows what he’s doing.
He’s always in the right spot.”
The talent is there, too. Thomas isn’t just surviving on smarts; he’s athletic enough to make plays from sideline to sideline. Isaiah Rodgers pointed to what Thomas showed at James Madison and said, “He’s a great player,” and added, “You look at his JMU tape, he was one of those guys [who] helped turn that program around.”
Rodgers also said Thomas is starting to open up more around his teammates. The rookie has been quiet off the field, and teammates have pushed him to talk more, whether in film study or on the field. They even had him stand up and sing in front of the team, a standard NFL rookie rite.
“He’s waking up now. He’s talking more,” said Rodgers. “[Thomas is] coming out here and just being where he needs to be, filling gaps and great communication, so he’s fitting in well.”
Thomas has plenty of competition around him. Minnesota used premium draft capital on Caleb Banks, Jake Golday, and Domonique Orange, and the roster also includes another safety, Jakobe Thomas, the Vikings’ third-round pick out of Miami. Still, Jacob Thomas has already made a case that he belongs in the conversation.
His interception of Giants backup quarterback Brandon Allen in an August preseason game may end up as a small line in the team’s preseason notes. But if Thomas keeps making the kind of impact he has so far, it won’t be the last time his name matters in Minnesota.
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Minnesotas biggest concern may be what happens behind the first wave of defenders. The starters on that side of the ball look sturdy, but injuries and a thin veteran presence have made the depth chart feel a little too fragile at safety and on the edge. With roster decisions and player readiness still in flux, the Vikings are heading into September with a few questions that no one around the team can quite ignore. [Read more 🡒]