Starling Thomas V

NoteCARDS:

• Signed by the Lions as a rookie free agent out of UAB in 2023, was released and signed by the Cardinals just prior to the start of the regular season.
• Played in 12 games (seven starts) in his debut season, finishing with 38 tackles, five passes defensed and a tackle for loss.
• Member of a Cardinals rookie class that led the NFL in total offensive/defensive snaps (4,654) by rookies and total starts (64) by rookies. Was also one of an NFL-high 11 rookies who started for the Cards in '23.

NoteCARDS:

• Signed by the Lions as a rookie free agent out of UAB in 2023, was released and signed by the Cardinals just prior to the start of the regular season.
• Played in 12 games (seven starts) in his debut season, finishing with 38 tackles, five passes defensed and a tackle for loss.
• Member of a Cardinals rookie class that led the NFL in total offensive/defensive snaps (4,654) by rookies and total starts (64) by rookies. Was also one of an NFL-high 11 rookies who started for the Cards in '23.

Pro Career:

Originally entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent with Detroit on 5/12/23. Released by Detroit on 8/29/23 and claimed off waivers by the Cardinals on 8/30/23.

2023: Appeared in 12 games (seven starts) in his first NFL season ... had 38 tackles (35 solo), one tackle for loss and five passes defensed ... inactive @ Was (9/10) ... inactive vs. NYG (9/17) ... inactive vs. Dal (9/24) ... inactive @ SF (10/1) ... made NFL debut vs. Cin (10/8) seeing action on special teams ... played @ LAR (10/15) on both defense and special teams ... made first career start @ Sea (10/22) posting four tackles (one for loss) and a pass defensed ... posted one solo tackle and a pass defensed vs. Bal (10/29) ... had three tackles @ Cle (11/5) ... recorded one tackle vs. Atl (11/12) ... recorded two solo tackles @ Hou (11/19) ... tallied three tackles vs. LAR (11/26) ... inactive (ankle) @ Pit (12/3) ... posted five tackles and one pass defensed vs. SF (12/17) ... recorded a career-high eight tackles @ Chi (12/24) ... had five tackles and a pass defensed @ Phi (12/31) ... posted five tackles and a pass defensed vs. Sea (1/7/24).

College:

Spent five years (2018-22) at UAB and played 53 games (40 starts), finishing his college career with 108 tackles, 29 passes defensed, three INTs, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble … also returned 23 punts for 167 yards (7.3 avg.) and 12 kickoffs for 224 yards (18.7 avg.) … earned first-team All-Conference USA honors as a senior in 2022 after starting all 13 games and totaling 30 tackles and a team-leading 15 passes defensed as well as returning 10 punts for 51 yards … earned All-Conference USA honorable mention honors at both cornerback and as a punt returner as a junior in 2021 after registering a career-best 41 tackles, eight passes defensed, two INTs, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery … also had 10 punt returns for 78 yards … helped UAB win its second-consecutive C-USA West Division title as a sophomore in 2019 after starting all 14 games and notching 27 tackles, three passes defensed, one INT and one fumble recovery … appeared in 13 games as a freshman in 2018 where he logged 10 tackles and three passes defensed.

Personal:

Attended Ramsay (Birmingham, AL) High School where he played cornerback, wide receiver, punt returner and kick returner … played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game as a senior in 2017 … plays for his late mother, Stephanie Williams, who passed away from cancer in 2018 when he was a freshman at UAB.