Zach Thomas on Jacob Rodriguez: "He's Better Than Me" - Texas Tech's Star Linebacker Draws Hall of Fame Praise
BOCA RATON, Fla. - When a Pro Football Hall of Famer tells you someone’s better than he was, you listen. And when that Hall of Famer is Zach Thomas - a linebacker who carved out a 13-year NFL career with seven All-Pro nods - it carries serious weight.
That’s exactly what Thomas had to say about Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech’s standout linebacker who’s coming off one of the most decorated seasons in college football history.
“I know who he is now,” Thomas said with a smile, watching Texas Tech prepare for their New Year’s Day Orange Bowl showdown with Oregon. “He’s another level - the best defender we’ve ever had at Texas Tech. I’m just so happy for him.”
Rodriguez, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound senior from Wichita Falls Rider, didn’t just have a great year - he had the year. He swept the major defensive awards: Butkus, Nagurski, Lombardi, and Bednarik. Add to that unanimous All-America honors across all five NCAA-recognized teams, and you’re looking at a resume that’s already etched in Red Raiders history.
A Season for the Ages
Rodriguez was everywhere this season - literally. He racked up 117 tackles, 11 of them for loss.
But it’s his knack for creating chaos that really set him apart. Seven forced fumbles, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries - and he led the charge on a Texas Tech defense that finished with an FBS-best 31 takeaways.
It’s not just the numbers, though. It’s how he plays.
Relentless motor. High IQ.
Leadership that’s impossible to miss. He’s the kind of guy who makes you stop flipping channels when the Red Raiders are on.
“He’s had me watching every game,” Thomas said. “His awards speak for themselves.
But what I really love? He’s humble.
He’s got the talent, sure - but he’s got the humility too.”
The Hall of Famer Sees It Clearly: Rodriguez > Thomas
Thomas, who starred for Texas Tech in the mid-90s before becoming a fifth-round steal for the Miami Dolphins, isn’t shy about giving Rodriguez the edge.
“He’s better. He’s better,” Thomas said, flat out.
“Back in my day, I thought it was tough just to be in the Butkus conversation. I got third.
Ray Lewis got second. Kevin Hardy won it.
That’s how hard it was.”
Rodriguez didn’t just get in the conversation - he cleaned house.
“He got the Nagurski. He got the Butkus.
He got all these awards,” Thomas said in admiration. “He deserves it, and he earned it.
So, they should never try to compare him to me. He’s going to be better.”
Draft Buzz (or Lack Thereof)
Despite the hardware and highlight reel season, Rodriguez isn’t lighting up mock drafts just yet. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has him ranked ninth among off-ball linebackers for the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s a head-scratcher on the surface, but Thomas knows the feeling all too well - he was overlooked too, until he wasn’t.
“I think he’ll go higher than I did,” Thomas said. “But honestly, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is landing in the right system - with the right coach, the right teammates. Your second contract is the one that really counts.”
It’s a veteran’s perspective, and it’s clear Thomas is rooting hard for Rodriguez to find that right fit. In a perfect world? That fit is in Miami.
“I just hope my Dolphins can pick him up,” Thomas said. “Put him right next to Jordyn Brooks - another Red Raider who’s had a great year. That’d be fun to watch.”
Brooks, by the way, leads the NFL in tackles this season with 174. So yeah, that Red Raider linebacker lineage? It’s alive and thriving.
A Legend Still Loved in South Florida
Thomas, now a permanent resident of Hillsboro Beach, hasn’t faded from the spotlight - not in Miami, and certainly not among Red Raider faithful. He was warmly welcomed at Texas Tech’s practice, held at Florida Atlantic University, where former Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley now serves as head coach.
“The people treat me great here,” Thomas said. “I always see that as respect.
When you’re playing well, people come up to you. When you’re not, they don’t.
So for me, I always looked at it as a plus. And yeah, it helps my ego a little, you know?”
Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023 - a long-overdue honor for one of the game’s most instinctive and tenacious linebackers. But even with a gold jacket hanging in his closet, he’s not clinging to the past. He’s watching the future - and in Jacob Rodriguez, he sees something special.
“He’s hungry. He’s humble.
He’s going to be fun to watch for a long time,” Thomas said. “I’ll be cheering him on every step of the way.”