6’1”, 160-pound cornerback with ideal length and natural cover skills on the perimeter. True lockdown corner who shows the ability to play effectively in both press and off-man coverage. Patient and efficient with his footwork, rarely panics at the line of scrimmage and stays balanced through the route stem. Does an excellent job staying attached in coverage, mirroring receivers and limiting separation. Like his ability to catch/collision receivers at the break point to slow their feet and maintain leverage. Competitive at the catch point, consistently playing through the hands and disrupting timing without relying on grabbing. Displays strong awareness and confidence in coverage with the physical tools to continue adding strength to his frame. High-upside defensive back with the skill set to match up against top receivers. Offered by NAU.

Xavier’s game is built around movement and control. He’s got really quick feet and smooth hips, which makes him a tough matchup for anyone trying to shake him in space. He stays low and fluid in his backpedal, which lets him mirror routes for a long time without needing to bail early or guess. That kind of patience is hard to find in younger DBs, especially ones still developing physically. There are times he’ll peek into the backfield a little too long and lose a step, but his speed shows up when he needs it most. He’s got the recovery ability to close gaps quickly and make up for small mistakes, which keeps him in position to still make plays. He just moves fluidly across the field — he doesn’t waste steps, and you can see how confidently he plants and drives on the ball. As he continues to grow and sharpen up some of the technical stuff — like eye discipline and route anticipation — he’s got all the tools to be a difference-maker in the secondary.

Thomas possesses good length in his frame at 6’0” 155 lbs. with the ability in coverage to stay in-phase at all three levels. Strong route recognition skills to stay attached to the hip and run the route with the receiver. Smooth in his back pedal, he’s patient and efficient with his steps to limit wasted movement. Shows good timing knowing when his cushion is broken and when to flip his hips to transition out. Flashes good recovery speed to close separation especially to the deep third of the field. Uses his hands well to create positional leverage and put himself between the ball and receiver. Does a good job playing through the hands aggressively to break up passes. High effort player that finishes the play and can make touchdown saving tackles from the backside.