Thomas’ talent as a kick and punt returner also caught the Bears’ attention. Assistant director of college scouting Francis St. Paul described him as “special with the ball in his hand.”
“This guy is going to be a weapon,” St. Paul said. “This is one of the guys that Ben, when he saw the tape, started doing his little rocking and you could tell he was really excited about him. There’s multiple ways we could get him the ball.”
Being versatile is a trait Thomas takes immense pride in. Whether it be serving in a multitude of spots as a pass catcher, shifting to running back or even throwing passes, the receiver told reporters Friday that there is “nothing I can’t do.”
From an intangibles perspective, Thomas’ energy and competitive nature added another layer of interest for the Bears. St. Paul added that national scout John Syty, who visited LSU last season, marked Thomas as one of his favorite players, specifically noting his willingness to compete every day in practice.
“That’s something I’ve been having in me since I was a kid, since I fell in love with the game,” Thomas said of his energy. “I play the game with a different type of aggression, with a different type of mentality. Because at the end of the day, this is my job, this is my life. So I put everything into this game of football.”