**DE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma**
Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas doesn't have any ties to current Bills players, but he does have a connection to a new Bills coach. Thomas overlapped with new Bills cornerbacks coach Jay Valai at Oklahoma.
Even though Thomas wasn't in the CB meeting rooms, Valai still made sure to coach him up.
"He always believed in me as a freshman," Thomas said. "…He told me from the beginning, you're going to be special and it ended up happening."
Thomas remembers Valai most for his words of wisdom and getting the best out of his players.
"He has developed two freshmen All-Americans," Thomas said. "So, it says something about him. You see him day-to-day, his process, he's always saying something that you need to write down because it helps you play fast."
Playing fast is Thomas' bread and butter as he ran a 4.67 40-yard dash at the combine. He's 6'2" and 241 pounds and rushes the passer with a speed and explosiveness like his life depends on it. Analysts have mocked Thomas to the Bills at No. 26 and he is projected to be drafted around that range.
His favorite player to watch is someone who played for new Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard when he was the pass game coordinator in Denver.
"The big one is Nik Bonnito, I watched him a lot," Thomas shared. "He plays with speed, plays with his hair on fire."
Thomas earned first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American honors in 2025. He produced at Oklahoma totaling 17 sacks, 25.5 tackles for loss, 65 total tackles, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 42 games.