After six seasons with Penn State football, defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas is headed to the 2025 NFL Draft.

J-Thomas was a four-star recruit in the 2019 class and ranked as the ninth best defensive tackle per 247Sports Composite. The recruitment site compared the young J-Thomas to Grady Jarret of the Chicago Bears and projected him as a mid-round NFL Draft pick.

“Has a stout build with good muscle mass and little bad weight. Not overly long but by no means small for an interior defensive lineman,” 247Sports said of J-Thomas in high school. “One of the better athletes at the position in the 2019 cycle with elite short-area quickness and explosion.”

J-Thomas’s first two seasons were nothing to write home about, as the defensive tackle made just five appearances in the 2019 and 2020 seasons combined. In 2021, though, J-Thomas found his footing, appearing in 13 games and starting in one.

Since then, the tackle has been a stalwart defender for the Nittany Lions, finishing his career with 60 appearances and 26 starts. He recorded 94 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks within those games.

Despite his stats, J-Thomas didn’t receive an invite to the 2025 NFL Combine, something he was disappointed about but determined not to let hinder him.

In front of all 32 teams at Penn State’s Pro Day, the 6’1″, 305-pounder ran a 5.08 40-yard dash, a 4.83 shuttle drill, and a 7.55 three-cone drill. At the combine, those numbers would’ve had J-Thomas in ninth place for the 40 and shuttle among defensive tackles. Additionally, he would’ve placed third in the three-cone drill.

J-Thomas admits that while at Penn State, he mainly put his run-stopping ability on film, but hopes that his performance during the Pro Day drills proved to NFL teams that he also can curve around blockers and get to the quarterback.

The Consensus Draft Board has J-Thomas as the No. 391 prospect in the NFL Draft and an undrafted free agent grade. A positive for the defensive tackle is his draft stock has risen since February. In fact, on February 17, his overall rank jumped nearly 300 spots.

J-Thomas said he plans to meet with multiple teams before the 2025 NFL Draft but didn’t give specifics.

The NFL Draft will begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, and go through Saturday, April 26, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. All seven rounds will be televised on ESPN and the NFL Network.