Running back, Minnesota (from Elon), 2024–⁠26

T.J. Thomas Jr.

Number
No. 23
Height
5′8″
Weight
190 lb
Class (2026)
Junior
Hometown
Thomasville, GA

T.J. Thomas Jr. plays running back for Minnesota, after Elon (2024–⁠25). Last time out, at Purdue: 6 carries, 12 yards; 4 catches, 18 yards. Thomas leads Minnesota in rushing yards this season.

2026 so far

319 rushing yards, 1 TD

Last game: 6 carries, 12 yards; 4 catches, 18 yards at Purdue, L 13–⁠41

Next game: vs. Iowa, Oct 24

Game by game this season, rushing yards
  1. 52EIU
  2. -1MSST
  3. 122AKR
  4. 78@WASH
  5. 56MICH
  6. 12@PUR

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

Career highs

152rushing yards, career highat North Carolina Central, 20242rushing touchdowns, career hightwice; last vs. Villanova, 2025

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2024Elon895776.5574
2025Elon913844.2644
2026Minnesota523196.1171
Career2321,2805.51274

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTDPRYdsTD
2024Elon112300–––
2025Elon1749302360
Career2872302360

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2024Elon131088.3133
2025Elon151248.3028
2026Minnesota17965.6018
Career453287.3133

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls. A dash: the source has no number for that season (often an FCS season), and career totals count only the numbers on file.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2024Elon23RBFr.
2025Elon23RBSo.
2026Minnesota23RBJr.5′8″190

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. rush
2025Elon (FCS)1140.0843rd (n=576)0.108.719%–
2026Minnesota76-0.0420th (n=478)0.10-2.820%0.17

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Rushing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessLine yardsSecond levelOpen fieldStuffed
2026Minnesota45%3.001.202.5020%

Where his yards came from, per carry: line yards are the ones credited to the blockers (the first few, and losses), second level the yards 5 to 10 past the line, open field those beyond 10. Success: carries that kept the offense on schedule. Stuffed: carries stopped at or behind the line. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Game by game

2026 Minnesota 6 games, 319 rushing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Sep 3vs.Eastern IllinoisW 59–⁠77520–––
Sep 12vs.Mississippi StateL 13–⁠383−10–––
Sep 19vs.AkronW 41–⁠7131221–––
Sep 26atWashingtonW 27–⁠2411780–––
Oct 3vs.MichiganW 20–⁠1412560–––
Oct 10atPurdueL 13–⁠416120–––
2025 Elon 9 games, 384 rushing yards, 6 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Aug 28atDukeL 17–⁠4511460146–
Sep 6vs.DavidsonW 55–⁠710491–––
Sep 13atWestern CarolinaW 37–⁠3110260270–
Sep 20atEast Tennessee StateL 16–⁠2610430276–
Sep 27vs.HamptonW 41–⁠20106723632
Oct 4atTowsonW 17–⁠313531121–
Oct 11vs.VillanovaL 21–⁠2911492353–
Oct 18atWilliam & MaryL 21–⁠2611420141–
Oct 25atMaineL 14–⁠355904123–
2024 Elon 8 games, 577 rushing yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYdsPR
Aug 30atDukeL 3–⁠2613300–––
Sep 7atNorth Carolina CentralW 41–⁠19111521125–
Sep 14vs.Western CarolinaL 17–⁠24141011375–
Sep 21vs.East Tennessee StateL 14–⁠3410261366–
Sep 28vs.RichmondL 17–⁠2712460364–
Oct 12vs.New HampshireL 10–⁠17978110–
Oct 19atUAlbanyW 30–⁠14191381–––
Oct 26atHamptonL 21–⁠41160–––

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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