LAS VEGAS -- San Diego State's Cameron Thomas (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday night. Thomas was chosen as the 23rd pick of the third round and the 87th selection overall
 
Thomas is the highest draft pick by an Aztec defensive player since cornerback Leon McFadden was chosen as the No. 68 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
 
Additionally, Thomas is the first SDSU defensive lineman drafted since Jerome Long went in the seventh round of the 2012 draft and just the second to be drafted as a defensive lineman since La'Roi Glover was picked in the fifth round in 1996 (Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila was drafted at linebacker in 2000 but played defensive line at San Diego State).
 
Thomas is the highest Aztec defensive lineman picked in the draft since Pio Sagapolutele was selected as the 85th overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft.
 
Last year, Thomas racked up 71 tackles (30 solo), including team highs of 20.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hurries, en route to being named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and an All-America selection by 11 publications, including a first-team pick by The Athletic and Sports Info Solutions (SIS). Thomas, a Bednarik Award semifinalist for the outstanding defensive player of the year, tied the league record with 20.5 TFL and ranked seventh in SDSU single-season history, while his 11.5 sacks were the sixth most in an Aztec season.
 
According to Pro Football Focus, Thomas had the second-most quarterback pressures (sacks/hits/hurries) (77) in the country last year, the most hits (21) and the sixth-most hurries (44), while logging the seventh-highest defensive grade (89.4, min. 700 snaps). Thomas was also a second-team All-America selection by Walter Camp, FWAA, Associated Press, Sporting News, USA Today and Phil Steele Magazine, a third-team pick by Pro Football Focus and College Football Focus, and an honorable-mention pick by Pro Football Network.
 
Thomas finished his career with the third-most sacks (21.0) in program history and the 10th-most tackles for loss (39.0). Thomas was one of just three Aztecs to be named the MW Defensive Player of the Year (Kirk Morrison, 2003-04 and Damontae Kazee, 2015-16) and joined Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (1997-99) as the only Aztec defensive linemen in their Division I era (since 1969) to named to three all-conference first teams.
 
The final four rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft resume at 9 a.m. PT Saturday.