Jakobe Thomas is a 6’1, 211-pound defensive back from the University of Miami. He was a 3-star prospect coming out of Tullahoma High School. He did a little bit of everything for them on the football field. In 2020, he led Tullahoma in rushing with 82 carries, 712 yards, and 16 touchdowns. He had 20 catches, 361 yards, and 5 touchdowns as a wide receiver. He had 2 touchdowns as a punt returner and even racked up yards on kickoff returns. He was named Tennessee Region 4-A MVP after his 12-1 season and 4A State quarterfinal appearance.
Jakobe started his collegiate career at Middle Tennessee State University. He red shirted in 2021. In 2022, he had 37 tackles, 4 interceptions, and a pick-six. In 2023, he played in 11 games (started 10). He finished his redshirt sophomore season with 71 tackles (52 solo). After that, he entered the transfer portal and signed with the University of Tennessee. In 2024, he had 22 tackles (14 solo), 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 pass breakups as a redshirt junior. In 2025, he transferred again in his final season of eligibility with Miami University. He had 75 total tackles (45 solo), 30 assisted tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 5 interceptions, and 6 pass breakups. He was one of the most important players in Miami’s secondary and contributed to their playoff run. Jakobe finished his collegiate career with 205 total tackles (139 solo), 66 assisted tackles, 16 pass breakups, 4.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 9 interceptions. He has played a lot of football through multiple levels of competition.
Jakobe has good size for a defensive back. He has ideal arm length at 31 ⅞ inches and 10 ⅝ inch hands. His athleticism has been on display ever since high school. While he doesn’t have elite transition speed or strength off the block, he possesses enough physicality as a hard hitter. Within the Canes’ 4-2-5 defense, Jakobe put together another breakout season by showing off his versatility.
Jakobe can blitz pre- and post-snap from the safety spot. He did this a ton off the edge against Indiana in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship game. He can come down to contain the quarterback run. He can cover some in the nickel. While I wouldn’t use him in Cover 1 and split-field Cover 6 packages, he is more comfortable in straight Cover 2 and Cover 4.
Jakobe has decent play recognition. Against Notre Dame in 2025, he ran down one of the best running backs in college football, Jadarian Price, from the other side of the field. He has range and instincts to make touchdown-saving plays from running backs getting to the second level. His energy and passion show on the field for both his teammates and the opposition. His trigger can be a step slow at times. He can get caught in traffic on screen passes or give up completions he shouldn’t have. But he does have the ball skills to get deflections and interceptions.
Jakobe has experience playing in one or two high defenses. He likes to get plenty of depth when he bails in coverage. He can maintain leverage in short zones. However, Jakobe can lose sight of his receiver on scramble drills and deep balls. This tends to happen when he stares down the quarterback.
Jakobe is inconsistent in his effort and pursuit in run support. He is more than capable of fitting as an extra defender in the box. But there are times when the ball carrier is directly in front of him, and he won’t even attempt to make the tackle. Speaking of tackling, there are inconsistencies in his tackling against Pittsburgh in 2025. He likes to lower his head and shoulders to make hard hits. This can lead to injuries, despite him missing only one game in 2023 and the second half against Virginia Tech (2025). While injuries can happen in football from time to time, I would like to see him avoid some of these situations by fundamentally wrapping through the ball carriers’ hips. Jakobe remains a hard-hitting defensive back who wants to make his presence known. While he has the tools to succeed, more work is needed in coverage and run support.
Scheme Fit and Team Fit:
Jakobe needs to go to a defense that blitzes a lot from the safety spot. That is when Jakobe is the most confident and aggressive. The Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, and Kansas City Chiefs are ideal fits for Jakobe. They have a history of getting pressure with their safeties inside the box.
Player Comparison: Lathan Ransom, Carolina Panthers
While Lathan Ransom was more of a fundamental tackler in college, he and Jakobe know how to deliver the boom.
Projection: League Average Starter
While I don’t see Jakobe being an immediate NFL starter, I project him as a starter within three years of his development.
Grade and Round Projection: 3.5, Round 3-4 Pick
I gave Jakobe a 3.5 grade, projecting him as a late-day two or early-day three selection in the NFL Draft.
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