Game log · Week-by-week
2022 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 3 | L 27-38@ Arkansas | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#9
Dillon Thomas
Senior defensive back for Northern Illinois. 2021: 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, 59 tackles.
6′2″ · 190 lb · Kansas City, MO
CFB Index 48 · #270 of 509 safetiesLow confidenceNorthern Illinois 2021 alumnus
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The story
4 defensive back for Northern Illinois. 2021: 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, 59 tackles.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Northern Illinois in 2017.
Recruiting
2★
S recruit
No. 2836 nationally · Signed with Northern Illinois
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonDillon Thomas
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Dillon Thomas has been at Northern Illinois through two head coaches in four seasons. One game to point at: 5 tackles against Arkansas — Week 3, 2022.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
How it ended
Four seasons at Northern Illinois, 117 tackles — his college career is complete.
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2017
- Signed with Northern Illinois2-star out of Park Hill South
2022
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
Northern Illinois
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2018–2021
2 coaches2018
Northern Illinois
Coaching transition mid-career: Rod Carey → Thomas Hammock. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2022 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2018Northern Illinois8-6HC: Rod Carey · Run-leaning
2019Northern Illinois5-7HC: Thomas Hammock · Run-leaning
2020Northern Illinois0-6HC: Thomas Hammock · Balanced
2021Northern Illinois9-5HC: Thomas Hammock · Run-heavy, fast tempo
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 5.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rob Harley
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2021
Starter
Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
48 · #270 of 509 safeties
Two-star recruit. Now #270 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Northern Illinois | 59 | 33 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2020 | Northern Illinois | 19 | 13 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 2019 | Northern Illinois | 38 | 29 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | -- | -- |
| 2018 | Northern Illinois | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 117 | 76 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 7 | 2 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
S
His 2021 production profile sits closest to Malik Dixon’s 2021 season.
77%match
Matches Malik on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
PD rate
Differs from Malik on
Weight (lower)
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Darius McClendon's senior season at Florida Atlantic (2023).
91%match
Matches Darius on
Class year
Height
Tackle volume
Player DNA
Players who play like Dillon Thomas
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology