Oklahoma State Adds Linebacker Darius Thomas Out of the Transfer Portal

STILLWATER –Oklahoma State has added yet another transfer out of the portal, this time in Western Kentucky, and briefly Louisville linebacker, Darius Thomas.

Thomas went into the portal in December after a breakout 2024 season at Western Kentucky. He committed to Louisville, and after the spring there, was back in the portal. The 6-2, 220-pound speedy defender visited Oklahoma State on Sunday and Monday and then reportedly left to visit West Virginia, but now the word is out that he’s signing with Oklahoma State.

Pokes Report

Thomas last season at Western Kentucky.

Cowboy football head coach Mike Gundy said it to the media on Saturday after the spring game, recruiting for both high school and especially the transfer portal has been going at breakneck speed.

“They just tell me what to do and who's coming in, and I meet with them and do whatever that I need to do,” Gundy said of the recruiting and coaching staff. “But these guys are going after it. They're not scared of anybody. They're ruthless. They're aggressive."

Thomas is originally out of Hollywood (Miramar), Fla. where he was a  6-2, 190 pound safety. He chose WKU over confirmed offers from Georgia, Colorado, Texas A&M, Florida Atlantic, Toledo, and Florida International. In the COVID-10 shortened season he had 22 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, and a fumble recovered. 

WKU Athletics

Thomas being interviewed at WKU.

At Western Kentucky, he played in eight games as a true freshman and had an interception that he returned 42-yards for a touchdown. He also Thomas missed the entire 2023 season with an injury.

He returned in 2024 and helped the Hilltoppers to the Boca Raton Bowl. He was sixth on the team in tackles with 54 total. He has 6.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.0 sacks. He had four tackles in the season opener at Alabama, eight tackles against Boston College, and a career high 10 tackles vs. Louisiana Tech. In the game with Kennesaw State, he had six tackles, three tackles-for-loss, and two sacks.

No word on why his stay was so short at Louisville, But Oklahoma State coaches and recruiters obviously feel that he can help out at Oklahoma State.

Thomas is added to a list of portal signees on defense that includes edge rusher Wendell Gregory (South Carolina) and Taje McCoy (Colorado and formerly Putnam City H.S.) and defensive tackle De’Marion Thomas (Vanderbilt and formerly Tulsa Union H.S.).

There is another transfer portal visitor from early this week in former North Carolina safety Deondre Boykins.