Expectations were high for defensive end Xavier Thomas last year. One can argue they were maybe a little too high.
After a stellar freshman season, the thought was Thomas was going to take over and dominate offenses like All-Americans Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant did during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Though he had a good season overall, in 2019, Thomas was slowed by an injury that caused him to miss three games.
Earlier this spring, Thomas admitted he did not live up to his own expectations last season and his goal is to prove to himself that he can be one of the best defensive ends in the country.