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Thomas, Miami’s lone five-star recruit in the 2014 recruiting class, verbally committed to Miami in the summer and stated publicly he would honor his commitment. Still a late visit to Alabama on the final weekend before Sunday had many wondering about where he would sign.
A number of his Booker T. teammates---including Treon Harris to Florida and Demetrius Jackson to Miami--announced their college intentions at a ceremony in the auditorium.
But when the players began filing in, Thomas was not at the school. The coaches grew impatient and decided to proceed with the ceremony and Thomas eventually showed up.
Some wondered if that meant he was having second thoughts about Miami and the anxiety grew moments before it was his turn to announce as the packed crowd stood to their feet in anticipation.
Thomas said a few word before announcing he would go to Miami.
“It was real tough,” Thomas told reporters after the ceremony of his decision. “It was real tough to think about everything. This is the hardest decision a football player will have to make.”
Thomas, the nation’s No. 3-ranked weakside defensive end and Under Armour All-American, was very complimentary of Alabama, but praised Miami’s academics for being a key factor in his decision.
“Alabama is a great program for football and I see myself as a great football player so it would have been great going there,” Thomas said. “But Miami, I see myself at a good academic school too and I focus on 10 years from now or 20 years if I’m not in the league. As long as I’ve got everything I’ve got to make more money—the NFL is not promised to everybody.”
Chad Thomas
Thomas flashed his smile occasionally throughout the interviews.
“I feel great,” he said. “I’m a man of my word, I stuck to my word, and I’m just anxious to go to college. I’m shaking right now.”
Thomas’ discussed his goals for when he arrives at UM.
“To help my teammates be a better team and help the job easier for my coaches and we’ve got to win the nat (national championship),”
As far as what he can bring to UM, Thomas said, “I can bring leadership, power, a good player, a great player, a player that’s coachable and I can bring a more family environment.”
Thomas and Jackson, who also plays defensive end, are looking to help strengthen a defense that has had its issues in recent years.
“We are going there and we’re going to I want to say the Booker. T swag, F5 swag in there and just play hard,” Thomas said. “Come out there practice hard, and help our teammates—I know they want to win so we are all going to come in with that same mentality.”
Thomas gave UM a verbal pledge back in July and took an official visit on Dec. 13. Visits to Florida State (Jan. 24) and Alabama (Jan. 31) created a stir as he considered leaving his hometown.
“I was just thinking and everybody has a point in their life where you just have to think about something and you have to make a decision,” Thomas said. “I was just thinking about it a lot over this last month and it still came down to UM so I guess I made the right choice at the beginning in the summer.”
http://miami.247sports.com/Article/DE-Chad-Thomas-Sticks-With-Miami-Im-a-man-of-my-word-175778
A number of his Booker T. teammates---including Treon Harris to Florida and Demetrius Jackson to Miami--announced their college intentions at a ceremony in the auditorium.
But when the players began filing in, Thomas was not at the school. The coaches grew impatient and decided to proceed with the ceremony and Thomas eventually showed up.
Some wondered if that meant he was having second thoughts about Miami and the anxiety grew moments before it was his turn to announce as the packed crowd stood to their feet in anticipation.
Thomas said a few word before announcing he would go to Miami.
“It was real tough,” Thomas told reporters after the ceremony of his decision. “It was real tough to think about everything. This is the hardest decision a football player will have to make.”
Thomas, the nation’s No. 3-ranked weakside defensive end and Under Armour All-American, was very complimentary of Alabama, but praised Miami’s academics for being a key factor in his decision.
“Alabama is a great program for football and I see myself as a great football player so it would have been great going there,” Thomas said. “But Miami, I see myself at a good academic school too and I focus on 10 years from now or 20 years if I’m not in the league. As long as I’ve got everything I’ve got to make more money—the NFL is not promised to everybody.”
Chad Thomas
Thomas flashed his smile occasionally throughout the interviews.
“I feel great,” he said. “I’m a man of my word, I stuck to my word, and I’m just anxious to go to college. I’m shaking right now.”
Thomas’ discussed his goals for when he arrives at UM.
“To help my teammates be a better team and help the job easier for my coaches and we’ve got to win the nat (national championship),”
As far as what he can bring to UM, Thomas said, “I can bring leadership, power, a good player, a great player, a player that’s coachable and I can bring a more family environment.”
Thomas and Jackson, who also plays defensive end, are looking to help strengthen a defense that has had its issues in recent years.
“We are going there and we’re going to I want to say the Booker. T swag, F5 swag in there and just play hard,” Thomas said. “Come out there practice hard, and help our teammates—I know they want to win so we are all going to come in with that same mentality.”
Thomas gave UM a verbal pledge back in July and took an official visit on Dec. 13. Visits to Florida State (Jan. 24) and Alabama (Jan. 31) created a stir as he considered leaving his hometown.
“I was just thinking and everybody has a point in their life where you just have to think about something and you have to make a decision,” Thomas said. “I was just thinking about it a lot over this last month and it still came down to UM so I guess I made the right choice at the beginning in the summer.”
http://miami.247sports.com/Article/DE-Chad-Thomas-Sticks-With-Miami-Im-a-man-of-my-word-175778
