Thomas Highlights | Thomas Miami Bio

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Former Miami and East St. Louis wide receiver Jeff Thomas signed a Big Ten Tender of Financial Aid and plans to enroll at the University of Illinois this spring, head coach Lovie Smith announced Friday. 

Thomas transfers back home after starring at Miami for two seasons. He will have two years of eligibility at Illinois.

"Jeff Thomas is an elite level football player who we expect to make an immediate impact with the Fighting Illini program," Smith said. "We know he is excited to return to his home state. This continues a string of great players from East St. Louis coming to the University of Illinois. We recruited Jeff extremely hard out of high school, and when he contacted us about the possibility of returning home, we were immediately interested in making his wishes come true. We will fully support his efforts for immediate eligibility at Illinois."

Thomas, a former consensus four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 40 player in the nation in 2017 (247Sports composite), caught 52 passes for 937 yards and five touchdowns during his two season at Miami. He had 35 receptions for 563 yards and three receiving touchdowns as a sophomore in 2018 and returned a punt for a touchdown against Virginia Tech.

The East St. Louis, Illinois, native was a star for the East St. Louis Flyers, leading his high school team to a 14-0 record and the 2016 IHSA 7A state title with a 26-13 win over Plainfield North at Illinois' Memorial Stadium. Thomas scored two touchdowns in the state championship game on the field that he will now call home.

Thomas broke out on the national stage during the 2017 Under Armour High School All-America Game with a game-record 148 yards receiving and two touchdowns. He signed with Miami a month later on Feb. 1, 2017 after offers from Alabama, Illinois, Louisville, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and others. 

I would like to thank The University of Miami, my teammates, coaches for their amazing support the past 2 years. With that being said, I would like to thank Coach Lovie smith for this opportunity to further my education and football career at the University of Illinois. pic.twitter.com/mnJHUMiQ8b

— Jeff Thomas (@theregoes4) December 22, 2018

Jeff Thomas
East St. Louis, Ill./East St. Louis/Miami
Junior, WR, 5-10, 175

2018 Sophomore (at Miami)
• Played 11 of 12 games
• 35 catches for 563 yards and three touchdowns
• Averaged 24.6 yards on nine punt returns (221 punt return yards) with one punt return touchdown
• Dominant performance in season opener against LSU 9/2/18, setting career highs with five catches and 132 yards
• 183 all-purpose yards against Savannah State 9/8/18, including a 67-yard touchdown and finishing with career-high 90 punt return yards
• Second 100-yard receiving game of season against Toledo 9/15/18 with 105 yards on career high-tying five catches
• Three catches for game-high 76 yards, including 17-yard touchdown catch against Florida State 10/6/18
• Six receptions for 84 yards at Georgia Tech 10/10/18
• First career punt return touchdown at Virginia Tech 11/17/18

2017 Freshman (at Miami)
• Played all 13 games with four starts
• 17 receptions for 374 yards and two touchdowns
• Team-best 22.0 yards per reception
• Team-long 78-yard catch against North Carolina 10/28/18
• Miami's primary kickoff returner and averaged 21.6 yards per return on 32 returns
• 70-yard reception and finished with two catches for 78 yards against Georgia Tech 10/14/17
• First career touchdown on a 48-yard reception against Syracuse and added a career-best 122 kick return yards
• First career start at North Carolina 10/28/18 and finished with three catches for 101 yards, including 78-yard touchdown, for first career 100-yard game
• 20-yard reception and 106 kickoff return yards in ACC Championship Game against Clemson 12/2/17
• Started and had a 48-yard reception in Orange Bowl against Wisconsin 12/30/17

High School
• Four-star recruit 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN
• Ranked No. 40 recruit in the nation in 247Sports composite (No. 52 by 247Sports, No. 55 by ESPN and No. 57 by Rivals)
• Ranked No. 8 wide receiver in the nation by Rivals and ESPN and No. 9 by 247Sports
• Ranked No. 1 recruit in Illinois by ESPN and No. 2 by 247Sports and Rivals
• 2017 Under Armour All-America Game 
• Under Armour All-America Game records of 148 yards receiving and two touchdowns
• 2016 The Opening participant
• Top 150 PrepStar All-America Dream Team
• Three-year starter in high school
• 177 receptions for 3,532 yards and 41 touchdowns during high school career
• Helped East St. Louis to a perfect 14-0 season and its first Illinois State Championship in eight years
• Two touchdown receptions in the state championship game
• 50 receptions for 1,101 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior
• Played for head coach Darren Sunkett at East St. Louis 
• Played with fellow Illini Stanley Green and James Knight at East St. Louis
• Offers out of high school included Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Syracuse, Tennessee, and Texas A&M