2019: Named a team captain and started all 12 games for the Wildcats ... Earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. The 'Cats' rushing attack surpassed 275 yards in three games during the 2019 season, including a season-high 383 in a win over Illinois, to finish fourth in the Big Ten with 180.1 yards per game ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Named to the 2020 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society Wednesday, which is made up of players who maintain a 3.2 grade point average or higher throughout their college careers ... Also named semifinalist for 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the top football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, leadership and football performance.
2018: Started at center in all 14 games for the Wildcats in his junior season … Helped protect quarterback Clayton Thorson as he threw for 3,183 yards, the third-highest mark in the Big Ten … also helped pave the way for first-year running back Isaiah Bowser, who averaged 108 rushing yards over the last eight games of the season … Academic All-Big Ten.
2017: Appeared in 10 games during the regular season ... Started the first three games of the season at left tackle ... Key part of an offensive line that helped running back Justin Jackson rush for 1,000 yards for the fourth-straight season ... Academic All-Big Ten.
2016: Appeared in all 13 games as a backup offensive lineman and on field goal units ... Made first career start at Michigan State ... Appeared at center in the Wildcats’ 42-21 win over rival Illinois ... Academic All-Big Ten.
2015: Awarded Offensive Practice Player of the Week honors following the Duke game.
High School: Earned three-star rating from Scout ... Tabbed as the No. 8 overall prospect in the state of Indiana by both Rivals and 247Sports ... Three-time letterwinner as an offensive tackle, center and defensive end at Cathedral ... Named 2014 MVP ... Earned All-City honors in 2013 and 2014 ... Named to 2014 Top 50 All-State football team ... Captured the Class 5A Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award in 2014 ... High school program has won five consecutive state championships ... Team captain ... Also captain of the basketball team ... Helped the Fighting Irish to a pair of City Basketball championships and a runner-up finish in the 2012 state championship ... Recipient of the Catherdral Christian Scholar Athlete Award ... Member of National Honor Society ... High Honor Roll student.
Personal: Born Jared Allen Thomas ... Son of Michael and April Thomas ... Did not play football until high school ... Played basketball since the age of four ... Uncle, Chris Beaty, played football at Indiana (2000-04) ... Chose Northwestern over Big Ten programs Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, plus Duke, Wake Forest, Boston College and others ... Major is journalism.