Ball State’s tackling machine and old-school tone-setter
In the 2021 season, Jaylin Thomas was an All-MAC linebacker who posted 107 tackles in the regular season, tied for the national lead among linebackers with four interceptions, and finished with 396 career tackles—elite production with range and ball skills. He stands out as a high-IQ inside linebacker who diagnoses quickly, tackles reliably, and brings steady veteran leadership; Ball State even listed him among the program’s all-time tackle leaders. If you want a plug-and-play defender who can anchor the middle and create takeaways, he’s absolutely the kind of glue guy worth caring about.
