Despite the score at the end of NC State’s lopsided loss against No. 21 Clemson in Death Valley on Saturday afternoon, redshirt freshman quarterback Lex Thomas took advantage of the 14 snaps in his collegiate debut. 

Thomas, who missed most of his senior year of high school with a season ending injury, did not see action as the Wolfpack’s third-string quarterback a year ago. But now, with his chance to make a play, the young signal-caller did just that against the Tigers’ backups in the waning minutes of the game. 

The Wake Forest, N.C., native commanded the Wolfpack’s offense on a 10-play, 87-yard drive that ended with a 40-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Terrell Anderson with 13 seconds left The touchdown marked both the quarterback and the route runner’s first-career score in college. 

Thomas was 4-of-6 passing for 53 yards and the touchdown in his first drive at NC State. Pack coach Dave Doeren liked what he saw from the team’s current primary backup quarterback.

“Lex came in and did some good things at the end,” Doeren said postgame.

Thomas, who grew up around the NC State program with his older brothers Drake and Thayer suiting up for the Pack together, helped etch the family’s name in the record book. The Thomas’ are believed to be the first family in NC State history to have three siblings all record at least one touchdown for the Wolfpack. 

Thayer, the oldest, caught 24 touchdown passes in his five years on the team from 2018-2022 as a walk-on turned scholarship player. Drake, a linebacker, played four seasons for the Wolfpack from 2018-2022 and he logged a pick-6 during his redshirt sophomore year. 

And for Lex, who has been a key piece of NC State’s quarterback room, even though he has not played until this weekend, he has waited for this moment. But Thomas did not just sit back and hope for it to come, rather he prepared as if he was going to start. 

That paid off in the long run. 

“I’m really impressed with Lex’s preparation,” Doeren said leading up to the Clemson game. “He has not taken reps physically behind the one and the two, but mentally you can tell he’s taken reps every snap. He jumped right in, no mistakes, directing guys the right way, encouraging his teammates, making good decisions. He’s ready to play.”

“I’m not surprised,” Doeren continued. “The family he’s in, that’s what those guys are about. They’re about working and doing all the stuff that takes to be ready.”

The two older Thomas brothers, who are currently in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks, respectively, paved a legacy in Raleigh. Lex, the youngest, continued that in his first action with the Wolfpack at Clemson.

Now, the Thomas family is in a league of its own in NC State’s record books.

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