OU's Jonah Laulu says R Mason Thomas one to watch
OU defensive tackle Jonah Laulu isn’t in the defensive ends group anymore. But when asked who is a young Oklahoma defensive player to watch, Laulu didn’t hesitate.
It’s R Mason Thomas. A lot of fans have been penciling Thomas in for a big season for OU, and it sounds like his teammates are as well.
“I’d say R Mason Thomas. He actually he’s actually living with me right now,” said Laulu last week at Big 12 media days. “I mean, I would say if you watching this defense, look out for 3-2 Mason. He’s a great player, and it’s just his ability and his quickness.
“And he’s got a quick twitch and his high motor. He’s such a great player. I remember literally, this play we were doing in fall camp. It was like a goal line situation. He’s a true freshman, like literally 17 years old at that time, and I mean he made a goal line stop against our No. 1 offense. He made the TFL and stopped the offense from scoring. I mean since then, I just knew, you know, there’s something special about him.”
Thomas played in 10 games last season. He totaled seven tackles, one tackle for loss and a .5 sack. The thing that has nearly everybody fired up is Thomas’ dedication to the strength and conditioning program in the offseason.
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He made tremendous gains, adding nearly 20 pounds. Not just 20 pounds, but 20 pounds of good weight and muscle.
“The power you can generate,” said Thomas during the spring. “I’m not like 260, but that speed and power at the same time, you generate a lot of force. At 220, I wasn’t knocking people back like that as much. Now as like 240, you get that punch, that power. It’s a lot better.
“I can feel the difference. I know from my freshman year of high school to my senior year. It was like a 70-pound difference. I know it was a lot. So I know how to trust the process and it felt a bit different, but it felt good.”
Laulu got to watch Thomas all last season with the defensive ends. Laulu, of course, is now a defensive tackle but still impressed by what Thomas brings to the table.
