Week 12 Scouting Notebook: Jakobe Thomas’ breakout, KC Concepcion and more

By Jack Brentnall

Week 12 featured several high stakes matchups, and they delivered more than a few meaningful NFL Draft storylines. A breakout safety performance, an explosive showing from a top playmaker, and an underwhelming outing from a quarterback in a marquee game all added new layers to ongoing evaluations.

Here is what stood out on tape.

Jakobe Thomas shows high-end instincts in standout performance

Perhaps the best defensive performance I saw in Week 12 came from Miami safety Jakobe Thomas. The senior finished with two interceptions and a pass breakup on his four targets, along with two defensive stops.

What jumps off Thomas’ tape is his intelligence in coverage and his route recognition as a zone defender. Those instincts were all over the film against NC State.

His first interception came from a deep zone alignment in Cover 3. Thomas read the quarterback, triggered downhill with excellent anticipation, and showed the long speed to take the pick more than 60 yards for a touchdown.

On the very next drive, he struck again. This time Miami had him playing the hole in Tampa 2, and Thomas once again beat the quarterback to the throw, triggering on the post route before Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey had even begun his windup.

Thomas nearly added a third interception in the second half, closing quickly from underneath zone to break up the pass.

Alongside the coverage production were several strong reps in run support. After spending 2024 as a rotational player at Tennessee, Thomas has elevated his game since transferring to Miami for 2025. He now sits at four interceptions and four pass breakups on the year, allowing a passer rating of just 61.5.

Scouts will still want more consistency from him as a tackler, given his 22.2 percent missed tackle rate, but the instincts and ball skills are NFL-calibre traits. Expect his name to gain more traction as the draft cycle progresses.

KC Concepcion drives A&M’s comeback

Texas A&M’s thrilling comeback win over South Carolina was one of the games of Week 12, and wide receiver KC Concepcion played a central role. When his team needed him the most, he turned his 12 targets into seven catches for a season-best 158 yards.

Against a South Carolina secondary with legitimate NFL talent, Concepcion consistently created separation. He produced multiple explosive plays, highlighted by a 43-yard reception where he cleanly beat cornerback Brandon Cisse down the field.

Concepcion wins with an exciting blend of twitch, fluidity, and burst. He is crafty in his releases, and once he makes the catch he showcases impressive quickness and creativity to rack up yardage in the open field.

His impact also extended beyond the box score. Concepcion made two critical hustle plays in the first half, breaking up passes that otherwise would have resulted in interceptions for the Gamecocks.

Concepcion will not fit every NFL team. He is a little on the smaller side, and there are occasional drop issues. Even so, his separation quickness and dynamic ability after the catch ability will draw interest from teams looking to add an explosive playmaker.

Ty Simpson struggles in upset loss

Oklahoma’s upset win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa was one of Week 12’s biggest surprises, and much of the post-game discussion focused on quarterback Ty Simpson. After being a key reason for Alabama victories throughout the season, he was a major factor in their loss this weekend.

Simpson struggled with accuracy and ball placement throughout the afternoon, an issue that has cropped up at other points this season. There were also several uncharacteristic lapses in his decision making. He threw an interception under pressure in the first quarter after failing to see the safety driving on his receiver. He would have had a second interception too, had an end zone turnover not been erased by a defensive pass interference call.

The low point came with a sack fumble late in the third quarter, marking Simpson’s fifth sack fumble in five games.

Still, the larger sample of his season matters. At his best, Simpson shows poise, processing, and command of pro-style concepts. One poor game will not sink his stock, but it may reinforce some of the concerns around his limited starting experience. How he performs through the rest of the season will be key in determining his eventual draft position.

Another efficient outing from Keyjuan Brown

Louisville fell in a tight contest to Clemson, but running back Keyjuan Brown impressed for the second straight week.

With starter Isaac Brown sidelined, Keyjuan has made the most of his expanded workload. After posting 136 yards on 14 carries against Cal in Week 11, he followed with 135 yards on 15 carries against Clemson.

The Tigers’ defensive front is loaded with talent, yet Brown consistently matched their physicality. Louisville blocked well upfront, but the production came largely from Brown’s decisive and physical playstyle.

He generated 109 of his 135 rushing yards after contact and forced seven missed tackles. His understanding of when to try and make defenders miss and when to lower his shoulder was really impressive.

As a true junior with a relatively small sample of production, Brown may choose to return for 2026. If he keeps stacking outings like this, though, he will no doubt keep climbing the ranks of what looks to be a fairly underwhelming running back class.

JACK BRENTNALL

HEAD OF NFL DRAFT CONTENT

Previously the founder of The Jet Sweep, Jack joined The Touchdown as head of Draft Content in 2024. A Scouting Academy alumnus, Jack has been Covering the NFL Draft since 2020. Follow him on Twitter @Jack_Brentnall.

Rated 5 out of 5