Thomas Gore: Path To The NFL Draft

By Simon Carroll

It is often said that desire can be the difference between a good athlete and an elite one. Natural talent is of course important, and will help you get so far – but if you want to reach the summit of your sport, you require that inner drive to be the best you can be.

Thomas Gore has never shied away from a challenge, using every opportunity to push himself to a higher level. And after a six-year college career that saw stops at three different schools, he’s now within touching distance of his dream. The former Georgia Tech defensive lineman sits down with Simon Carroll to discuss his football journey and path to the NFL Draft:

Family & Football

Even over a Zoom connection, Thomas Gore cuts an impressive figure. The only thing bigger than his 295lb frame is his gigantic smile – and it’s a little hard to believe that this behemoth defensive lineman could ever have been a young boy. But of course he once was, a kid growing up in Nashville, Tennessee – surrounded by family that would encourage him to play sports at every opportunity:

“I come from a single parent household – my father was incarcerated from a young age. So it was me, my brother and my sister – both older – growing up, staying in the Goodlettsville area. And I played all three of the major sports as a kid; basketball, baseball and football. My mum liked to try and keep us active! And my grandad was actually the coach of my older brother’s little league team, which trained at the same place as me. So when I’d finish with my practice, my grandad would then let me practice with them. And it was a little crazy back then – the difference between ages when you’re younger, they’re big jumps!”

Gore might have been young, but he was evidently taking his lumps early. Finding your feet in football isn’t easy – and competing with kids older than you is a sure fire way of finding out if you’re cut out for the game. Looking back, Gore smiles as he admits that there was a moment of doubt:

“Three or four years into it, I actually didn’t want to play any more. I told my grandad ‘I don’t think this is for me’. I used to be crying at practice, throwing up, I actually hated it at one point. I was around seven or eight years old. My grandad, he just told me that he’d be at my house the next day as usual to pick me up, and I would either have my stuff ready or not – and he’d have his answer then. He let me think on it a little, and I remember being sat in my room and making that decision to go to practice that day. I’ve been playing ‘ball ever since.”

The decision to have his stuff ready that morning appears to have been a watershed moment for Gore, who persevered with football and never looked back. Following a path blazed by familiar NFL names before him, Thomas would get a taste of success early on – and continue on that trajectory for some time:

“I had a fairly good start to football. I remember winning a City Championship at Middle School. And it was around eighth grade when I really started taking it seriously. Football became a big priority, and I started centering everything toward it. I had gone to a private school called Brentwood Academy, and a lot of familiar faces from my youth organization were there, guys I had come up with. And this was a school that became a pipeline of talent. Derek Barnett had come through there, Jalen Ramsey had graduated from there. A lot of big names! We went undefeated that eighth grade year.”

Athletic Excellence

Some high school football stars head to the college ranks without any kind of team achievement. Thomas Gore would enjoy so much success on the gridiron at Brentwood Academy, he would have been excused for thinking it would be like that for the rest of his career. And he even enjoyed helping his offense out too:

“After that first year, I jumped up to the varsity team. I played fullback and defensive tackle, and was able to get some playing time on both sides of the ball as a freshman. That felt like a big moment to me, to make it on that team and contribute. And I loved playing fullback you know! Big man running the ball, that’s our dream! But as I grew, got a little older, I began to focus on defensive line – and played a bit of o-line too. And four years there, four state titles. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Winning a state title is not easy, much less earning four of them. And yet, Gore was far from finished filling his trophy cabinet. Football wasn’t the only sport in which he excelled:

“At Brentwood Academy, you either played three sports or you did some type of workout. And just like when I was younger, I liked to play as many sports as possible. And I had worked out by that point that I was no hooper – basketball just wasn’t for me. I’d always liked track and field anyway, and my o-line coach taught wrestling, so really shot put and wrestling kind of picked me. And our school was incredible in all sports – our track team won all four years, I got one as a senior, and I got a state title for my wrestling too.”

I’m struggling to keep up. Gore has so many state titles, it feels like he must have been at high school for a decade. But he assures me it was all within a four year spell at a school that prided itself on athletic achievement. A little dose of in-house competition also helped:

“I’ve always had a friendly rivalry with this guy called Camron Johnson. He left Brentwood with twelve state titles, and I got eleven, so he just about beat me in the end. But we both received an ‘athlete of Tennessee’ award, which was pretty cool. I was proud of the legacy I left at high school.”

You can add Johnson’s name to the list of NFL alumni from Brentwood; the former Vanderbilt, Arizona State and Northwestern receiver spent time with both the Cowboys and Panthers in 2024. Thomas Gore was used to competing with the athletic elite – and was about to take his talents to the college level.

Choosing Georgia State

Considering the success he earned at high school, it wasn’t surprising that Thomas Gore enjoyed some healthy recruiting interest – despite being undersized compared to some of his peers. For Gore, the thirteen scholarship offers he received represented validation:

“I started getting some interest my junior year going into my senior year. That spring, I remember it well, both Navy and Samford offered me on the same day. That was one of the best days of my life, just knowing the work I’d been putting in had been noticed. And other guys were getting offers, so I knew if it was gonna happen it would be soon! It was a weight off my shoulders, because as a smaller defensive lineman you have to work ten times as hard to get the same recognition as others.”

Two things would quickly become clear during my time with Thomas; firstly, he harbors an insatiable desire to test himself against the best out there. Whilst he refers to his size a number of times, it’s clear he doesn’t have any interest in adopting excuses – Gore is confident he can compete with anyone, and he wants to prove it:

“Football giving me an education was always the plan. That was my mindset; I was just waiting on the confirmation in the form of scholarship offers. It took the burden off my mother, allowed me to continue playing the sport I loved, you can’t really beat that. I got it down to my final two – Georgia State and Wofford. And I loved them both, but really it came down to me wanting to test myself on the biggest stage possible, get my name out there. It also helped I had family out there in Atlanta, and I had been there a bunch of times. It felt like it would be a smooth transition for me – Georgia State was the perfect spot.”

Gore was destined to become a Panther – although he did receive an offer from MTSU, a school just forty minutes away from Nashville. It’s here I learn the second thing about the NFL Draft prospect sat opposite me, another attribute that will come up time and again; Thomas trusts his instincts:

“Middle Tennessee State wanted me for offensive guard. And I appreciated the offer, them being so close to home, but I told them straight I would be committing to a school that wanted me as a defensive tackle. MTSU was where I had held all my state track meets at, so I had a fondness for the place. But o-line was not for me – I knew I could succeed on defense.”

Making His Mark

Thomas Gore heads to Georgia State in 2019. He redshirts his first year on campus, but still gets a taste of gametime – even making a tackle in the Panthers’ bowl game that year. But it’s 2020 where he begins to make his mark in Atlanta, becoming a part of the rotation on the defensive line.:

“I went down there, and that first taste of freedom, it was cool! You think you’re all grown up, when in reality you’re not – you’re just making your own decisions and you’ve got to be careful you make the right ones. So year one was about me getting comfortable, getting a taste for the game at that level, and playing ball. It wasn’t about nuance at first, more about making sure you were in the right places at the right time and not messing up. I was trying to get it right every time so I didn’t get taken out of the game, almost playing like a robot. It was fun, but I hadn’t really found my style of play at that point.”

Gore obviously holds himself to a high standard – most defensive linemen would have gladly taken 3.5 sacks their first full season! But it was just a taste of things to come, as he explodes in 2022 – making 45 tackles and 10 TFL’s as a defensive tackle. For Gore, his familiarity with team, scheme and school all came together:

“Transitioning to the sophomore year, I was much more comfortable in that environment. I was closer to my teammates, had learned the playbook, and things were coming more natural to me. I was able to enjoy more snaps, be in the rotation more, and that exposure allowed me to play football free like I had always done. I was no longer worrying about the x’s and o’s – they were ingrained. Now I could play with my instincts more, and it became a lot more fun.”

More was to come from Gore in his Junior year, somehow improving his numbers once again with the Panthers. At this point, his athleticism jumps off the screen; offensive lines can’t seem to control him, and Gore lives in the backfield, weighing in with eight more TFL’s and five sacks. He’s beginning to influence games – not just on the stat sheet, but amongst his teammates too:

“By this point, I was playing with no weight on my shoulders whatsoever. Every snap felt like I was going to make something happen. I’d been playing with the same guys since I came through the door, we trusted each other, and we’d created a special atmosphere. Those last two years at State, the coaches and the team; it just allowed me to be the best player I could be. And I was growing as a leader too – not necessarily a big vocal guy, but the actions I took, the way I performed and the level of effort I brought to the work really rubbed off on my guys. They used to joke with me when the accolades from PFF and the like would come in, call me ‘Mr. Golden Gore’ and stuff. I loved that environment – I couldn’t help but thrive in it.”

"I Wanted That Pressure"

The 2023 offseason was a pivotal moment in Thomas Gore’s career – and he knew it. With two more years of eligibility left, it was time to make a big decision; stay in Atlanta and thrive, or step outside of his comfort zone and test himself once more? As before, Gore’s inner drive to prove himself amongst the best proved decisive:

“Even with all the success I was having, and all the love I had for my teammates, I felt there was more to achieve. I loved my time at Georgia State, but there were moments where we would be leading and lose. And I wouldn’t say the coaches and my teammates didn’t care, but I felt they weren’t as hurt by it as I was. I wasn’t used to losing. I don’t like losing, and it’s not something I wanted to do. So I decided it was time to move on and push myself again, go somewhere where I could develop but also compete at that higher level I felt I belonged. I wanted that pressure of having to win, to play top Power 4 teams every week. I had a taste of that with the Panthers maybe twice a season, and I wanted it more.”

Despite knowing the decision was the right one, you can feel the love Gore has for his first college home. Georgia State had given him the platform to showcase his talents, and he had done just that. Despite the heavy heart, Gore knew his time as a Panther was at an end:

“The tape I put up the last two seasons at Georgia State, it showed I could compete going up against anybody. They could be 6’8” or 5’10” – they’re getting treated the same way. I had to challenge myself to beat the best there was out there, and whilst it was tough to leave a school I loved, I knew I had to move on.”

Gore spent two weeks in the transfer portal, courting countless offers. In the end, one school stood out from the rest – offering the pedigree, level of competition but also the environment that he was looking for. Not many can say they had the opportunity to play for the Miami Hurricanes – and it was one that Gore was not going to pass up:

“The energy and atmosphere at Miami was something else. Speaking to the coaches when they came to visit, it felt like family. And obviously that’s a big thing to me, being treated in that manner. So I headed for an official visit, and I was impressed with the little things, like how they spoke to my mother, and how they communicated with other players and their families with respect. I like how they were going about building that culture before we even talked football. It felt like the kind of environment where I could thrive.”

The Hurricane Experience

2023 would probably represent the biggest year of adversity that Thomas Gore has encountered in his football career to date. The defensive tackle would spend just 12 months in Coral Gables, a sign that the script might not have played out quite as he had planned. Gore would play sparingly for the Hurricanes, making eight tackles and two sacks in 12 games. It would ultimately lead him back to the transfer portal once again – but Gore remains philosophical about his time in Miami:

“It wasn’t quite how I hoped, and that was on both sides. I was kind of heavy when I first went down there, but I got my weight down. I got to play here and there, but the rotation wasn’t the best for me. And obviously, I know I only have one year left after that to play, and it became apparent that I had a big decision to make. Do I stay in Miami, trust the process, and hopefully see more snaps? Or do I head somewhere where I’m truly needed, a place where I can make a real impact when I get there? That’s what it came down to.”

As always, Gore’s decision to leave was made purely with the intention of allowing him to show what he could do at the highest level possible:

“NIL didn’t matter to me. The big picture was the NFL. I went to Miami to challenge myself, see how far I could go with football, and try and open that door for a shot at a pro career. It didn’t quite work out, but I had no doubt I still had something to show people. I knew to do that, I needed one more year of film – and I didn’t want to stay with the Hurricanes and have little opportunity to finish right. I couldn’t have another repeat of 2023, another 150-rep season – this was a business decision I had to make.”

According to PFF, Thomas Gore actually played 167 snaps his one season in Miami. And the respected football outlet had Gore as the fourth-highest graded player on the Hurricanes defense in that time, showing it was a lack of opportunity rather than ability that hindered his time in Florida. Nevertheless, Gore’s exposure to a blue-blood college football program gave him some life lessons that would help his career going forward:

“No matter my decision, what Miami did for me was tremendous. It was able to show me real-time football, and what it would take to make it at the next level. The way they train, how they work out, attention to detail, was a level above. All the things I might not have been exposed to at Georgia State, Miami opened my eyes. It helped me alter my mindset from a Sun Belt team to an ACC one – and I don’t mean any disrespect when I say that. Just preparing right and re-establishing my own personal standards. Going down and being part of that program and all the great people there – it no doubt had one of the biggest impacts on my career.”

Atlanta: Finishing Where It Started

Thomas Gore would wait until the April transfer portal before leaving Miami, a testament to the difficult decision he had to make, and his refusal to rush into anything. It would require the perfect school in the perfect location to convince Gore to find a third college football home – and it just so happened he found one:

“Atlanta was where it all began, where I started getting my name. So it felt like a full circle moment to head back there. But not only that – Georgia Tech is a big school with a proud history, and one that’s building every year under Coach Key. I remembered playing them in Miami and being impressed with their growth – honestly, I feel like the trajectory they’re on, they’re gonna be one of the best teams in the nation sooner rather than later. I knew it was a chance I couldn’t pass on, and I’m so glad I finished my college career there.”

2024 at Georgia Tech was a year of memories for Gore; the Yellow Jackets opened the season in Dublin, beating Florida State – something the defensive lineman considers one of the best experiences of his life. He was also able to play BOTH his former schools that year, moments made all the sweeter by winning both contests:

“It was a big moment for me! The Georgia State game, it was nice to go back and speak to some of the coaches there, the equipment staff, the athletic director and my academic advisor were still there. It was a great experience, and of course we managed to get the win too, which was nice. But also being able to play Miami at home in one of their biggest seasons in decades, beating them and getting a sack in that game too? That was a top-three experience of my college career for sure. Watching the fans storm the field after the game, it was awesome.”

Georgia Tech allowed Gore to finish his college career the way he had always envisioned it; a defensive lineman making an impact at the highest level of the sport. His burning desire to be amongst the best, and instincts when it came to decision making had seen him return to Atlanta and end things on his terms. Gore’s beaming smile never leaves his face as he explains how proud he was to finish right:

“I might not have had the best stats I’ve ever had that final season at Georgia Tech. But I can safely say that I played as well as I have my whole career. Some of my Tech tape is the best film I was able to get – I went up against Georgia in that 8-OT thriller and competed, did the same against every big team we played. Again, conscious of my size and how people perceive that, I was determined not to get pushed around – in fact, I made it a point of pushing those guys around – future first rounders. Even if I didn’t make the play myself, I was in the backfield, causing problems, helping a teammate make a play. Watch the tape – you’ll see the contributions I was making on the field.”

The NFL Draft Prep

Thomas Gore leaves college football with a legacy to be proud of, a football career that deems him worthy of consideration for the NFL. Gore is humbled by the opportunity now in front of him, but not overawed – a refreshing blend of conviction in his talents, but acknowledgement of a tough road ahead. Recently invited to the College Gridiron Showcase, Gore had his first taste of a whirlwind few months affectionately referred to as ‘Draft Season’:

“The weather around Dallas and Atlanta that weekend was crazy! Snowstorms meant a lot of us guys were late arriving to the CGS, so I missed the first practice and the first round of interviews too. And one of my former teammates who now plays at SMU called me to tell me they were asking for me to speak to teams. So I was kind of irritated not to be able to get the full experience, but I was able to have a couple of interviews once I got there, which I appreciated. It also opened my eyes to the process a bit, which is very useful going forward.”

One thing that stands out about Gore’s tape is his positional versatility – an attribute in high demand in the ever-evolving world of pro football. We discuss various schemes and alignments he would feel best suited to – the simple answer is, Thomas Gore could put his pads on right now and be comfortable in any of them:

“I’ve played six years at college, and I’ve pretty much seen the lot on the defensive line. So scouts will know I’m versatile; I can play inside, zero-nose, three-tech, edge – you name it, I’ve done it. That experience makes me valuable, because you can slot me in wherever I’m needed and I’ll do a job for you. I call myself a defensive lineman rather than a defensive tackle. I enjoy the little bit of freedom you get in a four man front – we played in a 3-4 at Georgia State, and when they know you’re good you take on the brunt of the work at tackle! Perhaps you have a little less attention on you in a 4-3, and that gives you the chance to get in the backfield more, allows me to use my speed. But I relish all aspects of defensive line work. Tell me where to line up and I’ll go put my hand in the dirt.”

Talking of speed; The next event on Gore’s calendar will be Georgia Tech’s Pro Day on March 14. Thomas is back in Atlanta working out with his former team, who are hosting combine training for any of their athletes who have declared for the draft. That’s less than a month for him to tinker with the mechanics to show just how fast he actually is – and hopefully encourage more scouts to turn on his tape. But athleticism isn’t the only ace up Gore’s sleeve…

“D-linemen are getting quicker and quicker. So I want to put down a good forty time, because as a smaller guy my speed is a weapon. So it’s about replicating that agility you see on tape in my numbers – the forty, the ten-yard split, all of my short-area quickness. But that’s only half the story. Just because you’re quick doesn’t mean you’re not strong – I’m gonna get on that bench press and put up thirty-five plus! I’m around 295lbs right now,working hard on my body prep – dropping down my fat levels and adding more muscle. But honestly, this size is probably what I wanna stay at – it allows me to go higher or lower depending on what a team wants from me, without sacrificing speed or strength.”

For the uninitiated, food for linemen is a big deal. Many draft prospects have lamented the loss of things like pizza from their diet whilst adopting a more professional approach to their body. Not so Gore, who professes to being a keen cook; shrimp pasta with homemade sauce for him and his girlfriend is one of his go-to meals. Healthy eating doesn’t appear to be a problem, even if this meal of choice does come with the obligatory steak on the side.

"I Wouldn't Be Here Without Them"

College football is a different animal to what it once was. COVID and the transfer portal mean that careers that were once three years long at one school can be as lengthy as six seasons with multiple stops on the way. Thomas Gore’s personal journey errs towards the latter, and he’s come a long way from the high school star racking up state titles for fun back in Nashville. But it’s undoubtedly a career to be proud of – and one that would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the family that set him on this path. Life is complicated, delivers situations you don’t expect but have to deal with. But when it comes to draft weekend, Thomas intends to spend it surrounded by those who helped him get to this point:

“I’m gonna be with my family, because I wouldn’t be here without them; my mom working two jobs, making sure I get to every practice. My grandad was like my number one fan, really like a father figure for me. He taught me how to be a gentleman as well as a football player. He’d make me hold doors open for women no matter how far away they were! He instilled the right values in me. And my father, he would make sure I was always good. The reason he ended up in his situation was so that I could be good. There was no bad blood, I always spoke to him – what he did was for me, and I always understood that. So for me to be here, it’s my way of showing them all that I’ve not taken any of this for granted. I’ve been working.”

The incarceration of Gore’s father is not something we dwell on during our interview; this is Thomas’ story after all. But it is a reminder that perception and reality does not always align. In that regard, the NFL Draft process can be similar, with narrative often favored over fact. Numbers and measurements can sometimes take precedent – but when it boils down to it, you can either play football or you cannot. Thomas Gore has never once stopped challenging himself and proving he has what it takes, and deserves a phone call that final weekend in April. When it comes, it’s going to be an emotional moment:

“It would mean the world to me. Every day I was in pain, didn’t know if I wanted to keep going, wondering if this was the right thing – it would be confirmation that all you’ve done in your life until you were five, it amounted to something. I had a goal, kept my head down and worked at it. I took no days off, didn’t cut any corners. I did it the right way for me and my family. There’ll be tears running down my eyes if that phone rings.”

Mock Draft

SIMON CARROLL

LEad Writer/Head of Content

PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST, AND COVERS THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR SB NATION.

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A huge thank you to Thomas for taking the time to talk to us. Everyone at The Touchdown wishes him well in his future career.