A 2025 NFL Draft scouting report on Pittsburgh Steelers UDFA signing South Alabama FB DJ Thomas-Jones.
No. 8 DJ Thomas-Jones/FB South Alabama – 6015, 250 pounds (Fifth-Year Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| DJ Thomas-Jones | 6015/250* | 10* | 33 1/8* | 78 7/8* |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.63* | 1.71* | 4.21* | 7.02* | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’0″* | 35* | 18* |
*Pro Day Results
THE GOOD
– Thickly build with plus length, especially relative to height
– Powerful and impact blocker in run game
– Strong and able to knock smaller defenders off their feet
– Sticks and drives, finishes blocks through the whistle
– Effective down blocker who seals defenders and creates run game alleys
– Shows soft hands on receiving opportunities with good concentration and ability to catch in traffic
– Size creates minor YAC ability to drive legs and fall forward
– Versatile and moved around the offense
– Experience in pass protection with strength and ability to seal
– Intriguing athletic testing
The Bad
– Can slide off blockers in space
– Didn’t have true route tree and mostly ran into the flats and underneath routes
– Won’t burst away from man coverage over the middle
– Lacks height to play in-line tight end
– Limited reps out of a three-point stance and generally played on his feet
– Limited special teams background
Bio
– Turns 23 in July 2025
– Spent 2020-2021 seasons at Ole Miss, 2022-2024 seasons at South Alabama
– Career: 74 receptions for 659 yards (8.9 YPC) and 11 TDs (caught just one pass at Ole Miss)
– 2024: 22 receptions for 191 yards (8.7 YPC) and 3 TDs; All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention
– Had three career multi-touchdown games (including three TD day against Texas State in 2023)
– Three-star recruit from Mobile, Alabama; chose Ole Miss over Tennessee, Southern Miss, and handful of other schools
– Listed at 230 pounds in 2022
– 681 offensive snaps in 2024 (510 in-line, 97 slot, 20 backfield per PFF)
– 46 punt coverage snaps in 2024, makes up majority of college special teams snaps
– Collapsed on sideline and hospitalized during game in October 2022, missed one game before returning
– Airlifted to hospital in 2020 after suffering practice injury at Ole Miss, but later discharged and avoided severe injury
Tape Breakdown
DJ Thomas-Jones began his career at Ole Miss before returning close to home and joining South Alabama for his final three college seasons. Though listed as a tight end throughout his time in school, the Steelers referred to him as a fullback. Thomas-Jones (who at Ole Miss went by Damarcus Thomas) has a short and stocky build but excellent length with a profile similar to David Johnson of years ago.
Mostly used as a blocker, Thomas-Jones is powerful and impactful. He can plant smaller players on their butt. He is No. 8 in all of the below clips.
He drives, finishes, and plays with the tenacity desired from a lead blocker. Thomas-Jones is also effective on down blocks and clearing alleys for runners. Watch him seal off the defender in the final clip, the back running off his hip to daylight.
In 2024, he wasn’t utilized downfield as a receiver and mostly caught passes in the flat and the occasional shovel pass in a Harold Fannin Jr.-type of way. But in 2023, Thomas-Jones did get some downfield burn and popped, showing soft hands and creating plays in the red zone.
Negatively, he can slide off blocks in the run game.
Despite flashing as a receiver, he’s not a great athlete. He is more of a linear/build-up player and did most of his work underneath, failing to average even 10 yards per reception in his career. He’s also had some scary medical situations, presumably suffering a neck/spinal injury in 2020 and collapsing on the sideline in 2022.
Thomas-Jones wasn’t used as a backfield fullback and mostly played with his hand-up aligned as a wing/H-Back. To assume a true fullback role, he’ll have to play out of a three-point stance far more often.
Conclusion
Overall, DJ Thomas-Jones is an effective run blocker with impressive power and lead blocking ability. He can also offer something as a receiver, though it won’t be the main focus of his game. He’ll need to work on playing out of a three-point stance, and contributing on special teams is key. But there’s something to like about his game, and without a true fullback, Thomas-Jones could try to fill that void if he’s a quick learner of the position.
Chances To Make 53-Man Roster: 33.3 percent
Games Watched: at Georgia Southern (2024), vs Northeastern State (2024), vs Appalachian State (2024), vs Arkansas State (2024), 2023 TD cut-up
