2021 Football Roster
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Jersey Number 98
Brayden Thomas
- Position:
- Defensive End
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 260
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Bismarck, N.D.
- High School:
- Bismarck HS
* 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl
* 2021 Associated Press All-America Third Team
* 2021 Stats Perform All-America Third Team
* 2021 HERO Sports All-America Third Team
* 2021 Phil Steele All-America Fourth Team
* 2021 All-MVFC First Team
* 2020-21 MVFC All-Newcomer Team
* 2021 MVFC Presidents Council Academic Award
* 2021 MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award
* 2021 MVFC Honor Roll
* 2022 NFF Hampshire Honor Society
2021 SEASON (SENIOR): Returned to the Bison program for a fifth year of eligibility due to the impact of COVID-19 on the 2020-21 season...Third team All-America by The Associated Press, Stats Perform and HERO Sports...Fourth team All-America by Phil Steele...Selected to the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team and finished second in voting for MVFC Defensive Player of the Year...Started 13 games at defensive end, missing two games against Northern Iowa and Illinois State with an elbow injury...Contributed to an NDSU single-season team record 49 sacks...Led the MVFC with 9.0 sacks and ranked second among league players with 0.69 sacks per game...Finished with 30 total tackles and led the Bison with 14.5 tackles for loss...Season-high four tackles in regular season wins over Towson and Missouri State and the NCAA semifinal win over James Madison...Season-high 2.0 sacks in the win at Youngstown State...Named to the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society...Earned the MVFC Presidents Council Academic Award, the league's highest academic achievement...Named to the MVFC Honor Roll and Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award list.
2020-21 SEASON (SENIOR): Transferred to North Dakota State at winter break after graduating from Minnesota State University Mankato, where the Mavericks had their 2020 fall season canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic...Played in all nine games during NDSU's spring season...Started the final three contests at defensive end...Selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team...Ended the year with 25 total tackles including 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks...Credited with one pass breakup and four quarterback hurries...Blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt at Missouri State...Season-high six tackles with five solo stops in the home win over Illinois State...Season-high 2.0 sacks at Northern Iowa.
2019 SEASON (JUNIOR): All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference second team for Division II national runner-up Minnesota State University Mankato...Started all 15 games and led the Mavericks with 21.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks...His 21.0 TFLs were second most in school history and his 116 TFL yards were a school record...Career-high eight tackles against Colorado State-Pueblo in the second round of the NCAA playoffs...Career-high 4.0 sacks against Minnesota-Crookston...Finished fifth on the team with 57 total tackles...Named to the NSIC Fall All-Academic Team.
2018 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Appeared in seven games as a sophomore at Minnesota State University Mankato...Made six tackles with one pass breakup...Named to the NSIC Fall All-Academic Team.
2017 SEASON (REDSHIRT): Transferred to Minnesota State University Mankato and sat out the season as a redshirt.
2016 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Began his collegiate career at the University of Mary, where he played in all 11 games as a true freshman in 2016...Made 25 tackles including one for a loss...Recovered two fumbles.
HIGH SCHOOL: Two-time all-state defensive lineman for Bismarck High School...Part of two state semifinal teams with the Demons.
PERSONAL: Majored in management at Minnesota State University Mankato...Son of Wes and Melissa Thomas.
* 2021 Associated Press All-America Third Team
* 2021 Stats Perform All-America Third Team
* 2021 HERO Sports All-America Third Team
* 2021 Phil Steele All-America Fourth Team
* 2021 All-MVFC First Team
* 2020-21 MVFC All-Newcomer Team
* 2021 MVFC Presidents Council Academic Award
* 2021 MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award
* 2021 MVFC Honor Roll
* 2022 NFF Hampshire Honor Society
2021 SEASON (SENIOR): Returned to the Bison program for a fifth year of eligibility due to the impact of COVID-19 on the 2020-21 season...Third team All-America by The Associated Press, Stats Perform and HERO Sports...Fourth team All-America by Phil Steele...Selected to the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team and finished second in voting for MVFC Defensive Player of the Year...Started 13 games at defensive end, missing two games against Northern Iowa and Illinois State with an elbow injury...Contributed to an NDSU single-season team record 49 sacks...Led the MVFC with 9.0 sacks and ranked second among league players with 0.69 sacks per game...Finished with 30 total tackles and led the Bison with 14.5 tackles for loss...Season-high four tackles in regular season wins over Towson and Missouri State and the NCAA semifinal win over James Madison...Season-high 2.0 sacks in the win at Youngstown State...Named to the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society...Earned the MVFC Presidents Council Academic Award, the league's highest academic achievement...Named to the MVFC Honor Roll and Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award list.
2020-21 SEASON (SENIOR): Transferred to North Dakota State at winter break after graduating from Minnesota State University Mankato, where the Mavericks had their 2020 fall season canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic...Played in all nine games during NDSU's spring season...Started the final three contests at defensive end...Selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team...Ended the year with 25 total tackles including 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks...Credited with one pass breakup and four quarterback hurries...Blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt at Missouri State...Season-high six tackles with five solo stops in the home win over Illinois State...Season-high 2.0 sacks at Northern Iowa.
2019 SEASON (JUNIOR): All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference second team for Division II national runner-up Minnesota State University Mankato...Started all 15 games and led the Mavericks with 21.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks...His 21.0 TFLs were second most in school history and his 116 TFL yards were a school record...Career-high eight tackles against Colorado State-Pueblo in the second round of the NCAA playoffs...Career-high 4.0 sacks against Minnesota-Crookston...Finished fifth on the team with 57 total tackles...Named to the NSIC Fall All-Academic Team.
2018 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Appeared in seven games as a sophomore at Minnesota State University Mankato...Made six tackles with one pass breakup...Named to the NSIC Fall All-Academic Team.
2017 SEASON (REDSHIRT): Transferred to Minnesota State University Mankato and sat out the season as a redshirt.
2016 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Began his collegiate career at the University of Mary, where he played in all 11 games as a true freshman in 2016...Made 25 tackles including one for a loss...Recovered two fumbles.
HIGH SCHOOL: Two-time all-state defensive lineman for Bismarck High School...Part of two state semifinal teams with the Demons.
PERSONAL: Majored in management at Minnesota State University Mankato...Son of Wes and Melissa Thomas.
NDSU Football Mountain West Press Conference - February 9, 2026
Monday, February 09
The Bison Football Show - December 7, 2025
Monday, December 08
NDSU Football Postgame Press Conference - December 6, 2025 (FCS Playoffs 2nd Round)
Saturday, December 06
NDSU Football Press Conference - December 2, 2025
Tuesday, December 02
