With the playoffs in full swing, it’s no longer about who’s been flying under the radar - it’s about who’s ready to step into the spotlight when it matters most. For the Seattle Seahawks, heading into a high-stakes divisional round matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night, one name that keeps popping up is linebacker Drake Thomas. And if you watched what happened in Week 18, you know why.
Seattle’s 13-3 win over San Francisco wasn’t just a statement - it was a blueprint. The Seahawks’ defense didn’t just slow down the 49ers’ high-powered offense; they smothered it. Brock Purdy looked rushed, rattled, and out of rhythm for most of the game, and a big reason for that was the emergence of players like Thomas, who’s gone from under-the-radar to undeniable.
This is what great coaching looks like. When players you’ve never heard of start making game-changing plays in January, that’s not a fluke - that’s development, preparation, and a system built to maximize talent.
Head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde have built the NFL’s top-ranked defense by DVOA, and it’s not just because of stars like Leonard Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence, Ernest Jones, Devon Witherspoon, and Nick Emmanwori. It’s also because of guys like Thomas - the ones who weren’t supposed to be here but found a way.
Thomas’ journey is the kind of story that playoff football loves. Undrafted out of NC State in 2023, he initially signed with the Raiders before Seattle scooped him up off waivers just before the season.
His rookie campaign was mostly spent on injured reserve, but by 2024, he’d carved out a role on special teams. Fast forward to this season, and he’s become a crucial piece of the Seahawks’ linebacker corps.
And he’s not just filling a spot - he’s producing. Thomas has racked up four sacks, 17 pressures, 56 solo tackles, 24 stops, and 10 tackles for loss.
In coverage, he’s held his own - allowing just 250 yards on 62 targets, with no touchdowns, one interception, six pass breakups, and a passer rating of 72.8 when targeted. That’s not just serviceable - that’s impact.
At 6'0", 223 pounds, Thomas doesn’t fit the prototypical mold of a thumper in the middle. But as Macdonald put it back in October, “He does things like that a big linebacker does.
He has power, he has strike, he tackles, he can cover in space… He does those things through his ability and his anticipation.” In other words, he plays bigger than he is - and smarter, too.
That versatility matters in Seattle’s scheme. The Seahawks have leaned heavily on nickel packages this year, using five defensive backs on over 76% of their snaps - the highest rate in the league.
They love to stunt up front (only the Rams have done it more), but they rarely blitz, ranking seventh-lowest in blitz rate. That puts a premium on linebackers who can do everything - rush, cover, read, react - without tipping the defense’s hand.
And Thomas has been checking all those boxes.
The defining moment of his season - so far - came late in that Week 18 win over the Niners. With just over 10 minutes left and San Francisco threatening inside the red zone, Thomas stepped in front of a pass intended for Christian McCaffrey and came up with a clutch interception that all but sealed the game. It was the kind of play that turns momentum into victory - and role players into postseason heroes.
“Look, we’re going to defend a blade of grass,” Macdonald said after the game. “The 49ers popped a few plays on that drive, but our guys stayed with it… Drake has been playing great football for us, and he deserves a massive shout-out.”
Thomas, for his part, gave credit where credit was due - to the football gods and to teammate Boye Mafe, who may have gotten a hand on the ball to change its trajectory. “I know [McCaffrey]’s got an option route on me and honestly, he probably beats me to the corner,” Thomas admitted.
“But I think Mafe might have gotten a piece of the ball… it bounced right into my hands. God is good.
That’s all I have.”
What the Seahawks have is a defense that’s clicking at the right time - fast, physical, and full of players who understand their roles and execute them at a high level. Thomas has become one of those players - a force multiplier in a defense built on depth, discipline, and disruption.
Heading into Saturday night, Seattle knows what it’s up against. The 49ers are loaded with talent and coached by one of the sharpest offensive minds in the league. But if Week 18 was any indication, the Seahawks have found a formula that works - and a linebacker who’s ready for the moment.