6 feet, 3 inches. 310 pounds. Benching 420 pounds and squatting 600 pounds, Jaylen Thomas (12) is already pushing heavier weights than average NFL defensive ends. Thomas is an anomaly within the high school football world, and colleges around the country have noticed him.
Thomas has already received over 30 offers from various colleges around the country. To put this into perspective, nly about 7% of high school players play collegiate-level sports. Thomas had only started playing football two years ago, his junior year. Colleges start recruiting in players’ sophomore year, so Thomas needed to make up a lot of time.
“My first year coming in, I didn’t want to lose,” Thomas said. “My brother told me somebody is gonna hit you in the mouth. So, before I started playing football I spent two hours in the gym, and if I could spend two hours in the gym I would relax then go for another 30 minutes to an hour. Doing all of that, it got me right strength-wise to where it’s not just physical strength and what you [genetically] got. And I applied it.”
Thomas plays as a defensive end, tackle and nose guard. With a large frame and a lot of musculature, to many he can seem quite intimidating from afar.
“He would definitely scare you in a dark alley,” football coach Edgar Williams said.
However, his friends and coaches describe him as a kind, gentle giant who inspires those around him to play at the same level.
“He’s a goofy dude,” Jackson Eyre (12) said. “He’s fun. He always complains about how people look at him and think he’s mean and scary and menacing. But he’s a real dude. You can trust him, rely on him, and him [support you in tough] times.”…”
Not only that, but Thomas is also revered as a huge part of the foundation of the team.
“He definitely is the cornerstone of the team,” Eyre said. “He is one of the standout players on the team. A lot that we do indirectly revolves around how he does. If he performs well, if he’s feeling good, I think everyone will carry off of that momentum. And vice versa.”
Because he began in his junior year, Thomas had some difficulties adapting to the sport. However, he had a natural affinity because of his strength. To help him adapt, Thomas went to many football camps at different colleges like Mississippi State and University of Alabama Birmingham to teach him technique. In his first two years of playing, despite unsuccessful seasons, Thomas has proved himself as a capable player and the team as competent.
“My first season coming to this school we went 2-8,” Thomas said. “Not a lot of people had faith in us, not a lot of people thought we were trash. My whole thing about that though, is I have 30 offers. If this team is trash, how did they create me? I did not come here like that, they molded me, sculpted me for who I am.”
God and faith are important aspects of Thomas’s life. Driven by his faith in God, Thomas trains and pushes himself every day spending countless hours in the gym. His faith not only drives his training but also motivates him to be a good person, and is a huge factor in his college decision.
“God over everything,” Thomas said. “So, if I lose football, I have God. God gave me all of the abilities I have, he gave me the mindset to put my size to work.”
For years, Thomas was homeschooled, facing difficulties not being able to socialize with peers of his age. Despite this, he had mentors and family supporting his decisions. His mentors, coaches, and family were instrumental to his success.
“I always make him accountable,” Williams said. “I’ve always tried to make Jaylen accountable for everything he does, as far as school work, being everywhere on time, hustling and playing hard. What I’ve tried to do is take the classroom and transfer it to the playing field. The classroom comes first though because [he is] a student-athlete first. I have been hard on Jaylen. Really hard on Jaylen. The world’s not gonna give you anything, so you can take what you have got.”
Thomas, as described by his coaches, is a big guy with a nice frame. With a high motor, lots of energy and an excess of brute strength, Thomas himself is a hot commodity to many colleges.
“[Colleges] definitely see a big dude built for football,” Eyre said. “[Thomas] has got the genetics. He definitely has the drive and the motivation. He wants to be successful. He wants to retire his mom and stuff. They see he has the potential to go to the next level, to college and then to the league. They see the fire and the spark in him.”
Before starting football, Thomas understood the physical demands of the sport. He understood that in order to get to the next level, a level that very few people get the privilege of enjoying, he had to work harder than everyone else.
“God gave me the ability to get these scholarships, and I worked hard behind closed doors to get these scholarships,” Thomas said. “Sometimes you gotta put in that work that other people are not willing to do. And be humble.”
Thomas is a player who leads by example. In training, he’ll go easy on his teammates on account of his size, but in games he can be described as barbaric, destroying the opposition’s offensive line. A dependable person, Thomas is someone with a high ceiling and the ability to reach it.
“Jaylen is a generational player,” Williams said. “I am blessed with the opportunity of meeting him. I don’t think I would ever coach another player as good as he is. He is the type of guy to only come around every 10-15 years.”
