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I’ve been becoming a pretty big Jacob Thomas fan, and it’s not just because he’s on the Minnesota Vikings, and also definitely not because he went to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. No, it’s not because he’s from Ashburn, Virginia, either. That would be biased and unjust.
Regardless of who he plays for now or which wonderful institutions he attended, Jacob (not Jakobe) Thomas is making a name for himself this offseason. It’s easy to get him confused with third-round selection Jakobe Thomas, so let’s just put this out there so it’s clear:
- Jakobe Thomas wears #8
- Jacob Thomas wears #39
Hopefully that clears it up a bit. Unfortunately, the Vikings liked what they saw out of two safeties with very similar names. No matter what his name is, Jacob Thomas is impressive lately. Alec Lewis of The Athletic shared on Monday that he was even getting some reps with the first-team defense. This comes after he had an interception in Saturday’s scrimmage against the New York Giants, which really helped put his name out there.
He had some things to say regarding that after Monday’s practice.
Jacob Thomas Was a Popular Guy After Vikings’ Victory in New Jersey
While talking to the Vikings’ media, Jacob Thomas was asked how much his phone was blowing up on Saturday night after his first NFL interception.
“Very much so,” the former James Madison Duke replied. “I have a lot of unread text messages that I’ve got to get to. It’s a lot of love and support from people that I care about.”
Now, we can get to the football questions. Thomas was asked what the biggest thing that’s “just sort of clicked” for him since he’s been in Minnesota. For a rookie, he had an interesting answer: “I think I feel really [good] with the playbook right now.” We all know Brian Flores runs a pretty rigorous defense, so for a rookie to say that that’s what he feels most confident in, that’s a pretty big deal. He continued, “You know, being comfortable making communications out there, having comfortability with the guys. I just feel very comfortable with my teammates out there right now.”
Jacob Thomas is Apparently a Football Rhodes Scholar
The media did what I would’ve done and circled back to Thomas’ comfort in the playbook, asking what the process of his “mastering” it was like.
“It was tough at first, I will say that,” began Thomas. “But these coaches have been amazing. You know, staying around after meetings- we had a bunch of rookie meetings. But they’re always here to help you. It doesn’t matter the amount of questions that you have; they will answer them and try to help you through it.”
Thomas continued: “So, the coaches have been a big help, and you know, the veteran players, they’ve been in the system for a little bit now. So, you know, trying to get little things from them has been very, very helpful.”
Turns out even baby football geniuses need good coaching and supportive peers, and it sounds like Thomas had a hunch about the Vikings before he even signed. He would go on to describe what “stood out” about the Minnesota Vikings while he was deciding where to sign after the draft. Thomas cited the “defensive coordinator” and the “great brand and great style of defense,” which he equated to the defense he played in at JMU.
Jacob Thomas could end up being one of the surprise contributors in 2026. If he keeps going at this rate, he could eventually be a starter. The Vikings could use all of the great Virginia energy in the building that they can get (not biased).
The New York Times 
Idyllic Pursuit 
In Due Time Blog 
Woolly Chic Designs 
Sportsnet.ca 
Teacherrogers 
