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THE NO. 1 SACK LEADER IN TEXAS PLAYS RIGHT HERE IN LUBBOCK, AND HIS NAME IS RYLAN THOMAS
No Texas high school football player currently has more reported sacks than Liberty junior Rylan Thomas. His seven sack performance against Frenship moved him to No. 1 on MaxPreps’ statewide 11 man leaderboard.
Filed September 9, 2026
SEVEN SACKS IN ONE NIGHT: LIBERTY’S RYLAN THOMAS NOW LEADS TEXAS ON MAXPREPS
Liberty junior defensive end Rylan Thomas did not just have a good game against Frenship. He took over the game.
Thomas recorded seven sacks in Liberty’s 44 to 13 victory Friday, accounting for seven of the Patriots’ school record 11 sacks. Isaac Rodriguez added three, while Tripp Fuller recorded one. Frenship finished with minus 50 rushing yards as Liberty improved to 2 and 0.
“The secondary and linebackers were covering long enough for us to get home,” Thomas said. “We worked as a team and got pressure.”
Through two games, MaxPreps lists Thomas as the No. 1 sack leader among Texas 11 man varsity players. His seven sacks place him one ahead of the next three players, who each have six.
That ranking comes with important context. High school statistics are submitted by teams and are not an official UIL statewide leaderboard. Based on the numbers currently reported to MaxPreps, however, no Texas player has more sacks than Thomas.
His next challenge will be undefeated Midland Greenwood in Liberty’s home opener at 7 p.m. Friday at Patriot Stadium in Woodrow.
Greenwood is also 2 and 0 after beating Jim Ned 39 to 12 and Lubbock Cooper 25 to 15. Junior quarterback Andrick Rodriguez has produced more than 450 passing yards and 150 rushing yards through two games. Running back Jackson Audas also rushed for 179 yards and three touchdowns last week.
Greenwood’s balance and Rodriguez’s mobility should make repeating seven sacks extremely difficult. The Rangers can lean on their running game, move the pocket and use quicker throws. But Thomas will also benefit from playing beside Isaac Rodriguez, whose three sacks against Frenship make it dangerous to send every extra blocker toward one defender.
THE806ER PREDICTION: Rylan Thomas finishes with two sacks against Greenwood. A third is possible if Liberty gets ahead early and forces the Rangers into obvious passing situations.
Seven sacks made Thomas the statewide leader. Friday will show how he responds when an opponent builds its protection plan around stopping him.
📸 Chase Seabolt / Press Pass Sports