Courtesy of UNLV Athletics
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — UNLV junior running back Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas is one of just 45 players in college football included on the 2025 Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List, released Monday by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Thomas (Atlanta, GA) last week found his name on the Maxwell Award Watch List and now follows former teammate and current NFL wide receiver Ricky White III who was on last year’s Walter Camp Watch List, the nation’s fourth-oldest individual college football accolade.
Thomas was previously named 2025 Preseason First Team All-Mountain West after leading the ranked Rebels in rushing yards last fall with 918 along with seven rushing scores. He also added his first career receiving touchdown and returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to give him 21 TDs overall heading into his junior season. After just two years, he already ranks ninth in Rebel history with 19 rush scores and needs just one to move into a tie for seventh place.
Former Colorado wide receiver/defensive back and current Jacksonville Jaguar Travis Hunter
was the 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The 2025 Player of Year watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in early November, and three finalists will be announced in early December. The 2025 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 133 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on ESPN’s College Football Awards Show on December 12.
Under the direction of first-year head coach Dan Mullen, the Rebels will kick off their 58th season of football August 23 by hosting Idaho State in the earliest game in program history.
Season, single-game and three-game mini-plan tickets for the six-game 2025 home schedule are available by visiting unlvtickets.com or calling (702) 739-FANS (3267). For information on VIP premium club seats or suites at Allegiant Stadium, contact the Premium Sales office at premiumseating@unlv.edu or by calling (702) 739-FANS (3267).
2025 WALTER CAMP PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois
Carson Beck, QB, Miami
Vaughn Blue, RB, Liberty
Braylon Braxton, QB, Southern Miss
Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville
Byrum Brown, QB, South Florida
Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas
Caleb Downs, DB, Ohio State
Dequan Finn, QB, Miami Ohio
Anthony Hankerson, RB, Oregon State
Jamal Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech
Al-Jay Henderson, RB, Buffalo
Jason Henderson, LB, Old Dominion
Anthony Hill, Jr., LB, Texas
Blake Horvath, QB, Navy
Makhi Hughes, RB, Oregon
Nico Iamaleava, QB, UCLA
Keyone Jenkins, QB, FIU
Mikail Kamara, Edge, Indiana
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
DJ Lagway, QB, Florida
Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
Maddux Madsen, QB, Boise State
Arch Manning, QB, Texas
John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Parker Navarro, QB, Ohio
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt
Koi Perich, WR/DB, Minnesota
Kaidon Salter, QB, Colorado
La Norris Sellars, QB, South Carolina
Colin Simmons, Texas
Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Dylan Stewart, Edge, South Carolina
Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
Jai’Den Thomas, RB, UNLV
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Jaheim White, RB, West Virginia
Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama
Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
