Jeff Thomas will, indeed, get his shot at making an NFL roster.
The former University of Miami receiver with immense talent but a long history of off-the-field issues that derailed his college career, went undrafted this past weekend, but is signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent, the Miami Herald learned Sunday.
Thomas, a 5-8 7/8, 170-pound speedster who left the Hurricanes after his junior season, is the Cane who teased fans with his significant athletic gifts but disappointed them with bad choices that led to difficult situations.
Obviously, the Patriots are willing to take a shot that Thomas is more stable now. He will join fellow Hurricane and undrafted free agent Trevon Hill, who also is signing with the Pats.
Thomas, who was suspended multiple times for undiclosed team-rule violations during his UM career and at one point was dismissed from the team by former coach Mark Richt, concluded his UM career with 83 catches for 1,316 yards and eight touchdowns in 34 games.
He also was an exceptional return specialist, averaging 24.6 yards on nine punt returns as a sophomore in 2018, with one touchdown. That season, he also averaged 26 yards on 10 kickoff returns.
But Thomas had a hard time staying on the field.
Richt kicked him off the team in late November 2018.
“We have high standards for excellence, for conduct and for the commitment to team for all of the young men who wear our uniform, as we will not waver from those standards,” Richt said at the time. “We wish Jeff the very best as he moves forward in his journey.”
According to a source, Thomas had clashed with former wide receivers coach Ron Dugans, angrily left the team without attending meetings or practices, and then supposedly signed a Big Ten tender of financial aid with the intention of playing for the University of Illinois, Illini coach Lovie Smith said at the time.
But in 2019, new Miami coach Manny Diaz welcomed Thomas back to the U.
“It’s been great,” the soft-spoken Thomas told the media after returning to Miami. “Everybody showed me love like I had never left … I’m responding really well. I’m taking coaching every day, fixing my mistakes on and off the field.”
But Thomas’ rocky UM tenure continued. After leading the team in receiving in 2018 with 35 catches for 563 yards and three touchdowns in 2018, Thomas tallied only 379 yards with three receiving touchdowns in 10 games. He was suspended for two games last season.
At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Thomas ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, jumped 36.5 inches high and broad jumped 125 inches. He chose not to lift.
“He relies on athletic gifts over route acumen, but that can be corrected,” NFL.com draft anlyst Lance Zierlein wrote of Thomas. “His draft profile is bolstered by his potential as a return man, but he’s likely to have his name scratched from some draft boards due to characer concerns, despite the talent.”
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