Most people, including John Thomas, thought he would play college football in an LSU football jersey someday. The 2012 Airline High School (Bossier City, Louisiana) graduate and tight end for the Vikings had committed to play football for LSU, but opted for the JUCO route in order to get some of his academic eligibility issues straightened out first. He fully expected to return to LSU and play tight end for the Tigers on Saturday nights in Death Valley, and experienced success in the classroom and on the field at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas. Thomas is a big guy – he is 6-6, 255 lbs., and runs a 4.6 40 yard dash. Not bad for a big dude that brings a load with him. His JUCO stats are not stellar - Thomas caught 2 passes for 14 yards in 8 games.  But the size, speed and skillset are there, which was confirmed by the Texas coaches pulling the trigger on an offer to Thomas.
Thomas joins the Longhorns as commit #19 in the 2014 class and the first true tight end in the class. Texas received a commitment from JUCO Tight End in the 2013 class, Butte Community College’s Geoff Swaim, but the real question lies in how Bruce Chambers and Major Applewhite plan to use these guys at the position. Tight ends have had a limited role in the offensive schemes over the last handful of years and the Longhorns need to find a way to use them for more than just blocking.
As far as Thomas is concerned, LSU’s loss is Texas’s gain. Hook’Em.
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