2026 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Andon Thomas, LB, Army West Point

• Name: Andon Thomas
• Position: LB
• College: Army West Point
• Height: 6′ 0″
• Weight: 220 lbs
• X: @ThomasAndon
• Instagram: @andon.thomas

What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

I don’t really remember my pee-wee or Little League years too much but honestly, it’s just being able to go out there and achieve a common goal with some guys and be able to hit people and not have any consequences for it you know like legal consequences and such just being able to unite with a common goal with some guys who you love and just really get out there and win and play and you know kind of go miles for a bit so it’s been great. I love the sport so much. It’s brought me really fall and you know I’m thankful that god allowed me to come as far and then I’m  just really blessed be able to play this sport.

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

So my number one honestly anytime we’d beat Air Force or Navy that’s just always a special game you know the academy games you know especially Army-Navy.They’re just really special when you win and you know when you don’t win it’s pretty heartbreaking but to be able to get in front of literally millions of people who are watching and these guys who we put so much into the off-season and you have beat Navy everywhere in our locker room and weight room and you know it’s kind of our motto and just kind of geared towards that game. Kind of all year it’s really special to be able to win those games and then second being able to play the Cowboys Stadium my state championship senior year. We’re blessed enough to be able to play the state championship in front of around 40-45,000 people and the Cowboys stadium is really surreal and I was able to score a couple touchdowns and make some tackles which was a really cool opportunity and great experience something I will never forget.

If you could hang out with any football player past or present for a day, who and why?

I think it’s probably pretty cliché but Luke Kuechly, he’s kind of who I model my game after he’s a really smart guy you know but just the way he watches film and you know studies the game and digest plays you know before they’re even happening. It’s really special and really something I try to model myself after and more importantly than that he just seems like a really genuine dude and great dude and obviously I haven’t met him, but just the way he carries himself with confidence, quiet confidence and humility is kind of who I model myself after.

What is your favorite defensive scheme and why?

I mean, honestly I’ve pretty much played 3-4 my entire life 3 down lineman and four linebackers. It’s kind of what I grew up in and high school as well and then of course college. I’ve been blessed to play under a great defensive coordinator Coach Woody and my position Coach Juice really taught me a lot about football and about being a man and being a man of faith. It’s been amazing so you know I would say 3-4 definitely because that’s all I know really but you know of course I’m willing to learn whatever it takes to get on the field and I know that whatever I end up in hopefully if I get a shot , God allows that then I’ll do my best to learn and just going to be able to contribute to the team in any manner.

What stands out about your film the most?

I would say maybe my ability to digest plays and you know I kind of understand what the offense is doing and you know generally if I understand what the guys in front of me are doing and I understand what the offense is trying to do. I’m able to digest the plays pretty quick after the snap if not before the snap and that comes with a lot of film study. I’m understanding what teams like to do in certain formations, field position, all that kind of stuff so I’ll just say kind of my football IQ, just being able to digest plays and understand what the offense is doing.

What should we know about Andon Thomas the person?

I’ll just say I’m a man of great faith you know, Jesus Christ, he saved me from a pretty dark spot in my life and you know I try to live out my faith every single day and I try to just be a man in a great faith and spread that to others and you know I fail every single day you know it’s a fallen world we all sin but you know thank God for Jesus Christ and what he’s done for me and did for my life and that’s kind of like the foundation of my life that’s a cornerstone of my life and that’s how I try to live every day so I’ll just say i’m a man of faith.

What do you love the most about the game of football?

I would say it teaches you a lot about being a man and about being a person you know going through hard things with people who you love. It’s something special when you’re trying to achieve a common goal. It’s something we have as the Army. Do you know we do hard things with people who we love and I know it’s not always gonna be easy. You have to grow as a man, grow as a leader, grow as a player, but I just know being able to play this game and achieve a common goal and you know do hard things whether that’s the game practices or off-season workouts just taking peace in the monotony of preparation. That’s what I love. It’s a process and it comes down to 12 Saturdays for college football. Little bit more than that for the NFL and it’s just taking peace in the preparation to teach you a lot about being a man so that’s what I love about football.

Who is the most underrated player you played with and why?

I’ll probably say Collin Matteson he’s a safety, number 30. He is one of my really good friends and he’s definitely underrated for sure. He started every single game last season except for one I think and he’s done a lot of great things. He’s also a man of great faith and I believe that the person you are off the field definitely translates to how you are on the field and the kind of player you are and he’s probably the best tackler I’ve ever played with and you know he’s on my side of the ball so we’re communicating all the time and you know he tells me what to do and what kind of coverage we’re going to run based on spacing and all that kind of stuff and now he’s a really great tackler a great person more importantly, and it would be such a blessing to see him play beyond this level

What would a team get in a player like you?

I would say on the field someone who is a mature, and a leader, and understands his role, and is literally willing to do whatever it takes to succeed for the team to succeed whether that’s starting, whether that’s scout team, whether that’s being a backup literally anything you know I’ve been in all those roles in my career and you know every single one of them is equally important. The scout team guy is just as important as the guy is out there on Sundays or Saturdays. So a guy who understands his role being off the field, like I said, a leadership guy and a guy who’s mature and understands what it means to serve  and what it means a lead and coming from a place like army and what I’ll do in the future as an  Army officer, it’s not something I take lightly, it’s being able to lead under pressure and make quick decisions when the pressure is on them and your stressed and just being a leader coming from this amazing place. and just a quiet and humble leader who understands his role.