Football: De’Marion Thomas to enter NCAA Transfer Portal

Thomas started all 13 games at defensive tackle for Vanderbilt last year.

De’Marion Thomas celebrates after a play, as photographed on Nov. 30, 2024. (Hustler Multimedia/Barrie Barto)

By Aiden Rutman, Sports Editor

Apr 14, 2025

De’Marion Thomas will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal when the spring period opens on April 16, as first reported by Pete Nakos of On3 Sports. Thomas will have two years of eligibility remaining.

The 6’2, 321-pound defensive lineman started in all 13 of Vanderbilt’s games in 2024 as a sophomore. He recorded 34 total tackles and added one sack. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native burst onto the scene towards the end of the season, recording three or more tackles in each of the Commodores’ last four games. This included a career-high six total tackles on the road against LSU. He followed that performance up with a career-best four solo tackles against Tennessee in the team’s regular-season finale.

The lineman appeared in 10 games as a true freshman in 2023, recording seven total tackles.

Thomas was a top-100 defensive lineman in the high school Class of 2023 and the tenth-ranked recruit in Oklahoma. He had offers from Texas Tech, Arkansas, Kansas, Memphis, Baylor and Iowa State and projects to get some attention from other Power Four programs after his performance in 2024.

About the Contributors

Aiden Rutman, Sports Editor

Aiden Rutman (‘25) is a student in Peabody College majoring in human and organizational development and minoring in communication studies. He formerly produced The Hustler’s sports podcast, Live from West End. In addition to writing and podcasting, Aiden is an avid New York sports fan. He loves playing sports, spending time outdoors and trying new foods. You can reach him at aiden.s.rutman@vanderbilt.edu.

Barrie Barto, Editor-in-Chief

Barrie Barto (’25) is majoring in medicine, health & society and communication of science & technology with a neuroscience minor in the College of Arts and Science. She previously served as Photography Director. When she’s not hiking in Percy Warner, you can find Barrie cheering on the St. Louis Blues or tracking down the best gluten-free food in Nashville. She can be reached at barbara.a.barto@vanderbilt.edu.

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