THOMAS AT A GLANCE:
• A second-year tight end who has played nine games (1 start) in his first two NFL seasons.
• Saw action in five games (1 start) for the Broncos as a rookie in 2011 despite being limited by an ankle injury suffered in Week 2.
• Started in Denver’s season opener vs. Oakland (9/12/11) and joined three other teammates as the first rookie quartet to start a season opener since at least 1968.
• Played just one season of college football after starring basketball for Portland State University and earned first-team All-Big Sky Conference by finishing third on the Vikings with 29 receptions for 453 yards (15.6 avg.) with two touchdowns as a senior.
• Participated in the East-West Shrine Game following his senior season and caught a 5-yard touchdown to go along with a two-point conversion for the West.
• Lettered four times in basketball for the Vikings, leading them to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances in school history (2008, ‘09) and finishing as the program’s all-time leader in games played (121), career wins (78) and field goal percentage (.663).
• Selected by the Broncos in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.
THOMAS AT A GLANCE:
• A second-year tight end who has played nine games (1 start) in his first two NFL seasons.
• Saw action in five games (1 start) for the Broncos as a rookie in 2011 despite being limited by an ankle injury suffered in Week 2.
• Started in Denver’s season opener vs. Oakland (9/12/11) and joined three other teammates as the first rookie quartet to start a season opener since at least 1968.
• Played just one season of college football after starring basketball for Portland State University and earned first-team All-Big Sky Conference by finishing third on the Vikings with 29 receptions for 453 yards (15.6 avg.) with two touchdowns as a senior.
• Participated in the East-West Shrine Game following his senior season and caught a 5-yard touchdown to go along with a two-point conversion for the West.
• Lettered four times in basketball for the Vikings, leading them to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances in school history (2008, ‘09) and finishing as the program’s all-time leader in games played (121), career wins (78) and field goal percentage (.663).
• Selected by the Broncos in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed by Denver as a draft choice 7/27/11.
2012: Played the first four games of the season, then was inactive for the remaining 12.
2011: Selected by Denver in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft, Thomas played five regular-season games (1 start) and posted one reception for five yards as a rookie... Joined three other teammates who became the first quartet of rookies to start a season opener for the Broncos since at least 1968... Inactive for 11 regular-season games and two playoff contests due to an ankle injury sustained in Denver’s Week 2 win vs. Cin. (9/18).
COLLEGE: Thomas, who played just one season of college football, saw action in 11 games (1 start) for Portland State University in 2010 and earned first-team All-Big Sky Conference honors after finishing third on the team with 29 receptions for 453 yards (15.6 avg.) with two touchdowns... Hauled in nine passes of 20 or more yards and produced 18 first downs... Invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game, where he hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass and caught the ensuing two-point conversion to account for the West’s only points of the game...Walked on to the football team during the spring after exhausting his eligibility in basketball.
PERSONAL: Thomas attended Tokay High School in Lodi, Calif., where he was a standout center and power forward on the basketball team... Helped lead Tokay to a 25-9 overall record and a Sac-Joaquin Section title during his senior year when he was named co-Player of the Year by The Record (San Joaquin)... Lettered four seasons in basketball at Portland State, setting school records for games played (121), career wins (78) and field goal per-centage (.663)... Named to the Big Sky Conference All-Tournament Team in 2008 and ‘09, helping the Vikings capture conference titles and advance to the NCAA Tournament in both seasons... Averaged 10.8 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting a school-record .671 from the floor as a senior... Graduated from Portland State with a degree in business administration... Julius Thomas was born on June 27, 1988, in Stockton, Calif.
