Demaryius Thomas
Encyclopedia
Demaryius Antwon Thomas (born December 25, 1987) is an American football wide receiver
for the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He played college football
for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
at the Georgia Institute of Technology
. Thomas led the team in receiving in all 3 of his seasons at Tech, 2007, 2008, and 2009. He was selected by the Broncos with the 22nd overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft
.
. He was nicknamed "Bay-Bay" in reference to his father's nickname, "Boo-Boo." Thomas attended West Laurens High School where he played basketball and football
as a wide receiver
. As a junior in 2004, he recorded 32 reception
s for 330 yards and three touchdown
s. Thomas was named an all-region and all-Heart of Georgia player. The following season, he recorded 82 receptions for 1,234 yards and ten touchdowns. After the season, he participated in the North-South All-Star game. Thomas was again selected as an all-region and all-Heart of Georgia, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution named him to its Class AA all-state first team and PrepStar to its All-Region team. Scout.com
assessed him as the 22nd-ranked college prospect in the state of Georgia, and Rivals.com
rated him the 34th-ranked such prospect. He received scholarship offers
from Duke
, Georgia
, and Georgia Tech
.
where he majored in management. Thomas sat out the 2006
season as a redshirt
. In 2007
, he saw action in all 13 games including 10 starts
, and recorded 35 receptions for 558 yards to rank as the leading Georgia Tech receiver by a wide margin. In the 2007 Humanitarian Bowl
, he made four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. The Sporting News
named Thomas to its freshman All-Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) first team and a freshman All-America
honorable mention.
In 2008
, Paul Johnson
was hired as the head coach and implemented the run-heavy triple option offense
. Thomas considered transferring but decided against it. During the season, he recorded 39 receptions for 627 yards and three touchdowns as the leading receiver. Despite being a heavily run-oriented system, as one of the team's few experienced players, Thomas recorded relatively high numbers. Still, compared with other receivers in the Atlantic Coast Conference
, such as leader D. J. Boldin of Wake Forest
, Thomas' statistics were much smaller. He said, "Sometimes I think about [not getting many passes], but most of the time I just want to win." Thomas' mark was the best of any wide receiver from the school since Calvin Johnson
in 2006. Against Duke
, he caught nine receptions for 230 yards, the second-most in a single-game in school history.
In 2009, during his Junior (redshirt) year at GT, Thomas had a breakout season with 46 receptions for 1,154 yards and 8 touchdowns. This earned him 1st team All-ACC honors. He finished his career at Georgia Tech with 120 catches for 2,339 and 14 TDs.
Many draft experts had him gaining momentum with NFL scouts going into the last couple weeks leading up to the draft and most had him as the number one or two-rated wide receiver, along with Dez Bryant, in the 2010 NFL Draft
, including Sporting News. On January 8, 2010, he declared his entrance to the 2010 NFL Draft
.
22nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft
. He was the first wide receiver taken in the draft over the #1 projected receiver Dez Bryant
. Thomas had 8 receptions for 97 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown in his NFL debut in a September 19, 2010 game against the Seattle Seahawks
. Thomas battled injuries his rookie season, missing six games.
On February 10, 2011 Thomas tore his achilles tendon
while working out and was expected to miss a majority, if not the entirety, of the 2011 season, Thomas was surprisingly activated from the Physically Unable to Perform List on September 3, 2011 prior to the start of the season as Broncos GM Brian Xanders
said Thomas had responded to rehab well and was "ready to go."
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. Thomas led the team in receiving in all 3 of his seasons at Tech, 2007, 2008, and 2009. He was selected by the Broncos with the 22nd overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
.
Early life
Thomas was born on December 25, 1987 to parents Bobby and Katina Thomas in Montrose, GeorgiaMontrose, Georgia
Montrose is a town in Laurens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 154 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Dublin Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Montrose is located at ....
. He was nicknamed "Bay-Bay" in reference to his father's nickname, "Boo-Boo." Thomas attended West Laurens High School where he played basketball and football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
as a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. As a junior in 2004, he recorded 32 reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 330 yards and three touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. Thomas was named an all-region and all-Heart of Georgia player. The following season, he recorded 82 receptions for 1,234 yards and ten touchdowns. After the season, he participated in the North-South All-Star game. Thomas was again selected as an all-region and all-Heart of Georgia, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution named him to its Class AA all-state first team and PrepStar to its All-Region team. Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
assessed him as the 22nd-ranked college prospect in the state of Georgia, and Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
rated him the 34th-ranked such prospect. He received scholarship offers
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
from Duke
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
, Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
, and Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
College career
He chose to attend the Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
where he majored in management. Thomas sat out the 2006
2006 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2006 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
season as a redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
. In 2007
2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2007–2008. The team's coach was former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
, he saw action in all 13 games including 10 starts
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
, and recorded 35 receptions for 558 yards to rank as the leading Georgia Tech receiver by a wide margin. In the 2007 Humanitarian Bowl
2007 Humanitarian Bowl
The 2007 Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, part of the 2007-08 NCAA football bowl games season, was played on December 31, 2007 at Bronco Stadium on the campus of Boise State University in Boise, Idaho....
, he made four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
named Thomas to its freshman All-Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) first team and a freshman All-America
2007 College Football All-America Team
The 2007 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
honorable mention.
In 2008
2008 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2008 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's coach is former Navy Midshipmen and Georgia Southern Eagles coach Paul Johnson...
, Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson (American football coach)
Paul Johnson is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Previously, Johnson served as the head coach at Georgia Southern University from 1997 to 2001 and at the United States Naval Academy...
was hired as the head coach and implemented the run-heavy triple option offense
Flexbone formation
The flexbone formation is an offensive formation in American football that uses a quarterback, five offensive linemen, three running backs, and varying numbers of tight ends and wide receivers. The flexbone formation is a predominant running formation derived from the wishbone formation and it...
. Thomas considered transferring but decided against it. During the season, he recorded 39 receptions for 627 yards and three touchdowns as the leading receiver. Despite being a heavily run-oriented system, as one of the team's few experienced players, Thomas recorded relatively high numbers. Still, compared with other receivers in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
, such as leader D. J. Boldin of Wake Forest
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, Thomas' statistics were much smaller. He said, "Sometimes I think about [not getting many passes], but most of the time I just want to win." Thomas' mark was the best of any wide receiver from the school since Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson (American football)
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
in 2006. Against Duke
2008 Duke Blue Devils football team
The 2008 Duke Blue Devils football team represented the Duke University in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team was led by head coach David Cutcliffe...
, he caught nine receptions for 230 yards, the second-most in a single-game in school history.
In 2009, during his Junior (redshirt) year at GT, Thomas had a breakout season with 46 receptions for 1,154 yards and 8 touchdowns. This earned him 1st team All-ACC honors. He finished his career at Georgia Tech with 120 catches for 2,339 and 14 TDs.
Many draft experts had him gaining momentum with NFL scouts going into the last couple weeks leading up to the draft and most had him as the number one or two-rated wide receiver, along with Dez Bryant, in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, including Sporting News. On January 8, 2010, he declared his entrance to the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
.
Professional career
Thomas was drafted by the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
22nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. He was the first wide receiver taken in the draft over the #1 projected receiver Dez Bryant
Dez Bryant
- 2010 - Rookie Season :Bryant was signed by the Cowboys to a contract very similar to that of Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin on July 22, 2010. On July 23, 2010, it was announced that Bryant will wear number 88, the same as Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, and Cowboys legend Drew Pearson...
. Thomas had 8 receptions for 97 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown in his NFL debut in a September 19, 2010 game against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. Thomas battled injuries his rookie season, missing six games.
On February 10, 2011 Thomas tore his achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
while working out and was expected to miss a majority, if not the entirety, of the 2011 season, Thomas was surprisingly activated from the Physically Unable to Perform List on September 3, 2011 prior to the start of the season as Broncos GM Brian Xanders
Brian Xanders
Brian Xanders is the current General Manager of the NFL's Denver Broncos.-Florida State:Xanders played for Bobby Bowden at Florida State University from 1989–92, he was a member of four bowl-winning teams with the Seminoles that had a 42-7 combined record...
said Thomas had responded to rehab well and was "ready to go."
External links
- Jonathan Heeter, Former rivals enjoying their time as teammates, The Macon Telegraph, November 18, 2007.