Swinney: XT Became ‘Best Version of Himself’

There was a time when Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney wasn’t sure Xavier Thomas would reach this moment.

Coming out of high school, Thomas was a five-star recruit, unanimously regarded as a top-five player in his class. He burst onto the scene in his first two seasons, becoming an All-ACC player as a sophomore.

Thomas went on to battle complications with COVID-19, multiple injuries and depression in the public eye. He never wavered, and it’s brought him to this moment: being selected by the Arizona Falcons in the 2024 NFL Draft.

No one could be more proud of him than Swinney.

“Man, I’m so happy for Xavier Thomas. This is truly a day that a couple years ago, I wasn’t sure was ever going to happen,” Swinney said. “I’m so proud of this kid. I’m so proud of how he’s persevered and hung in there. He’s overcome so many different things.”

2023 was Thomas’ final shot to earn this opportunity and he did just that. He finished with a team-high 21 pressures and three sacks on the season. The numbers still may not show the impact but what will is how his absence was felt in the loss to Miami.

Heading to the next level, Thomas brings a mix of speed and power to Arizona that is desperately needed off the edge. The Cardinals had 33 sacks as a team last season, and his impact could raise that number by a big margin in the future.

“He is definitely the best version of himself,” Swinney said. “He is a guy that I think is going to be a fun guy to coach for their defensive coordinator because I don’t think people really know what they’re going to have in him.”

Swinney went on to say that mix of strength and speed will do him well in the NFL. Given how we only got to see a glimpse of Thomas’ potential at Clemson, the Cardinals may look back and say it hit the jackpot in the fifth round.