The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2021 Football Roster
Roster
Ray Thornton
- Position:
- EDGE
- Height:
- 6-3
- Hometown:
- Killeen, Texas
- Weight:
- 238
- Class:
- Senior
- High School:
- Shoemaker
- Previous School:
- LSU
- Major:
- Graduate School
A first-year linebacker who played in 12 games with 10 starts … graduate transfer from LSU who arrived on the Forty Acres in Fall 2021 ... a member of the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (fall 2021).
SUPER SENIOR (2021)
Played in all 12 games with 10 starts ... registered 31 tackles (17 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack … made his Longhorn debut against Louisiana, recording four solo stops and one sack for a loss of six yards … had two tackles (one solo) and 0.5 tackles for loss at Arkansas … recorded one tackle against Rice and Texas Tech … posted two tackles (one solo) at TCU … had four tackles (one solo) against Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown … collected a season-high six tackles (five solo) with a career-best three tackles for loss against Oklahoma State … totaled five tackles (three solo) at Baylor … made four tackles at West Virginia.
BEFORE TEXAS
Played in 41 career games with four starts with at LSU ... recorded 45 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and one pass deflection during his career ... has seen action at outside linebacker and edge rusher ... played in nine games as a senior ... posted five tackles, including four solo and two sacks for a loss of 23 yards, and a forced fumble in 2020 ... appeared in 14 games as a junior ... registered nine tackles, one quarterback hurry and recovered a fumble in 2019 ... fumble recovery came in first quarter against Alabama to halt a possession inside the LSU 10-yard line and led to a 92-yard LSU drive for a 7-0 lead in the win ... had season-best four tackles in win over Arkansas ... made two starts as a sophomore while playing in 12 games ... the starts came in the Fiesta Bowl win over UCF and in the home-opener against Southeastern Louisiana ... collected 21 tackles, including 2.5 tackles of loss and one sack in 2018 ... had career-best five tackles against Southeastern Louisiana and Ole Miss ... added four tackles against Florida and Alabama ... started the final two games as a redshirt freshman, while appearing in six ... finished the 2017 season with 10 tackles including three against Texas A&M and in the Citrus Bowl against Notre Dame ... redshirted as a true freshman in 2016 ... majored in sport administration at LSU.
HIGH SCHOOL
Played head coach Channon Hall at Shoemaker High School in Killeen, Texas, and was coached by Channon Hall ... participated in the 2016 Under Armour All-America Game ... rated as the nation's No. 61 overall prospect by ESPN ... ranked No. 195 by 247Sports and No. 259 by Scout ... listed as the nation's 13th-best weak side defensive end prospect and rated as the 31st-best player in the state of Texas for the class of 2016 ... named District 12-6A Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 ... selected Killeen Daily Herald All-Area Most Valuable Player ... recorded 57 tackles and 10 sacks in senior ... key contributor on a defense that allowed only 15 points per game in 2015 ... helped Shoemaker to a 9-3 overall mark and the school's first-ever playoff victory in 2015 ... recorded 61 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and five sacks as a junior.
