#23

TJ Thomas Jr.

Junior running back for Minnesota. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

RB · Minnesota · Jr. · #23

5′8″ · 190 lb · Thomasville, GA

Returning to Minnesota for 2026

Next upSat Sep 19 · 12 pm ETvs AkronHuntington Bank StadiumMinnesota by 24

How he plays

Rec yards: 100th percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

rushing yards · 2026

5.1 per carry · 6 catches

2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 52 rush yds, 23 rec yds, vs Eastern Illinois

His career numbers, season by season

The story

3 running back for Minnesota. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.

46 rushing yards in 2025. Then 51 in 2026.

His career, year by year

TJ Thomas Jr.

RB · Minnesota · Jr · #23

The receipt: 52 rush yds, 23 rec yds against Eastern Illinois — Week 1, 2026.

52 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 10 CARRIES

Low coverage — composed from the verified record.

season totals
game log

2026 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2026Minnesota1-1HC: P.J. Fleck · Pass-leaning

Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort

Box-score percentiles

8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: rec yards (100th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).

Box-score rates (8)

Rec yards#1 / 15 · 100th pct

Receptions#6 / 15 · 67th pct

Yards / carry#7 / 15 · 60th pct

5.1

Fumbles lost#4 / 6 · 25th pct

Long run#13 / 15 · 17th pct

Rush TDs#13 / 15 · 10th pct

Rush yards#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Carries#16 / 15 · 0th pct

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Splits & context

Splits

Per-game splits

Through 2 games: 25.5 YDS/g, 3.6 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

P.J. Fleck

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2026

Backup

On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career stats

Season	Team
2026	Minnesota	10	51	5.1	0	--
Career		10	51	5.1	0	--

Season	Team
2026	Minnesota	6	63	10.5	0	--
Career		6	63	10.5	0	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026

W 59–7

vs Eastern Illinois

52 rush yds (7 car)

Dominant 52-point win at home against Eastern Illinois.

With J. Tracy — 5 rec · 98 yds · D. Lindsey — 264 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 86.2 · 6 rush yds (2 car)

Signature plays

Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|

The plays that mattered most

fact

Week 1 · Eastern Illinois · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -4.35(09:10) #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short right to #23 T.Thomas caught at EIU22, for 18 yards to the EIU04 fumbled by #23 T.Thomas at EIU08 forced by #19 M.Tupou recovered by EIU #8 N.Vecchiarelli at EIU04, End Of Play
Week 2 · Mississippi State · 2&9 · Q1 · EPA +1.97(08:32) #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short middle to #23 T.Thomas caught at MINN38, for 11 yards to the MSST47 (#3 K.Dolby; #13 L.James), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Eastern Illinois · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +1.41(07:04) No Huddle #23 T.Thomas rush right for 20 yards gain to the EIU37 (#27 J.Brown), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · Mississippi State · 2&3 · Q2 · EPA +1.29(03:51) Shotgun #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short middle to #23 T.Thomas caught at MINN37, for 14 yards to the MINN46 (#10 J.Smith), 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · Mississippi State · 3&2 · Q2 · EPA -1.15(01:58) Shotgun #23 T.Thomas rush left for 0 yards to the MSST46 (#5 J.Gilbert)
Week 1 · Eastern Illinois · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.97(08:54) No Huddle #23 T.Thomas rush left for 2 yards loss to the MINN25 (#5 J.Nickson)
Week 2 · Mississippi State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.97(07:05) No Huddle-Shotgun #5 D.Lindsey pass complete short left to #23 T.Thomas caught at MINN30, for 10 yards to the MINN44 (#11 T.Lockhart), 1ST DOWN
Week 2 · Mississippi State · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.92(00:03) #23 T.Thomas rush left for 4 yards loss to the MINN32 (#43 W.Whitson)
Week 1 · Eastern Illinois · 3&3 · Q2 · EPA +0.83(00:37) Shotgun #23 T.Thomas rush right for 6 yards gain to the EIU27 (#41 A.Archibald), 1ST DOWN
Week 1 · Eastern Illinois · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.40(10:13) No Huddle #23 T.Thomas rush right for 3 yards gain to the EIU48 (#45 E.Hehl; #34 J.Stewart)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2026 season · 2 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	CAR	YDS	AVG	LONG	Note
Wk 1	W 59-7vs Eastern Illinois	7	52	7.4	20	Season-high 52 yds
Wk 2	L 13-38vs Mississippi State	3	-1	-0.3	3
Total		10	51	3.6	20

The backfield · Minnesota

#1Darius TaylorRB · Sr.670 rushing yards · 2025
#21Grant WashingtonRB · So.132 rushing yards · 2025
#2A.J. TurnerRB · Sr.64 rushing yards · 2025
#9Xavier FordRB · So.35 rushing yards · 2025
#23TJ Thomas Jr.RB · Jr.2 games · 2026

4 more on the roster · Minnesota team page

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology