Alabama up next for DE Xavier Thomas
[SIZE= 14px]OCTOBER 19, 2016 BY [/SIZE][SIZE= 14px]PHIL KORNBLUT[/SIZE] [SIZE= 14px] [/SIZE][SIZE= 14px]Link:[/SIZE] sportstalk
Xavier Thomas
The player some are calling the top prospect in the country in the 2018 class, DE Xavier Thomas of Wilson, Saturday will visit the program all consider the best in the country right now, Alabama. The Crimson Tide is one of the six programs Thomas is considering right now and he’s excited about the chance to check out the defending national champions in person.
“I want to get a better relationship with the coaches and feel the environment and the fans,” Thomas said. “And I want to tour the facilities and the campus and get a better feeling for Alabama. They want me for a 3-4 outside linebacker, sometimes standing up and coming off the edge and sometimes jumping into pass coverage which I’m actually doing now with my high school team. Alabama is Alabama. You can’t really speak on too much about that.”
Thomas also has USC, Clemson, Florida State, Ohio State and Georgia on his short list. He’s expecting USC head coach Will Muschamp and defensive line coach Lance Thompson at his game Thursday night along with Florida State defensive line coach Brad Lawing. Thomas said the Gamecocks have worked him the hardest but they’ve always had his heart.
“I grew up a Gamecock fan,” he said. “They’ve got the new coaching staff and stuff. I believe they are going to bring in some good recruiting classes and get the Gamecocks back on track. They tell me I can come there and be the face of the defense and potentially be the face of the program if I keep working hard. Coach Muschamp likes to compare me to Dante Fowler Jr. He coached him at Florida.”
Thomas said Clemson also is after him energetically and is selling him on a good plan.
“Coach Hobby compares me a lot Vic Beasley and I would come there and work off the edge,” Thomas said. “Coach Swinney tells me I’m their one guy for 2018 and I can come there and be the face of the defense.”
So, Thomas grew up a Gamecock fan, which means he couldn’t have much love for Clemson, right? Well, he says not so when it comes to this recruiting battle.
“It really doesn’t affect it too much,” he said. “I’ve been a Gamecock fan and, of course, the rivalry is there. I didn’t really favor Clemson at the time but I don’t let that get in the way of the recruiting stuff. But I did where Gamecock stuff all the time. I favored Clowney and Lattimore.”
Thomas plans to return to USC and Clemson this season. He’s not sure when he’ll go back to Columbia but he knows he’ll be at Clemson for the USC game. He has also been to Georgia this season for a game. He does not claim a favorite at this point.
[SIZE= 14px]OCTOBER 19, 2016 BY [/SIZE][SIZE= 14px]PHIL KORNBLUT[/SIZE] [SIZE= 14px] [/SIZE][SIZE= 14px]Link:[/SIZE] sportstalk
The player some are calling the top prospect in the country in the 2018 class, DE Xavier Thomas of Wilson, Saturday will visit the program all consider the best in the country right now, Alabama. The Crimson Tide is one of the six programs Thomas is considering right now and he’s excited about the chance to check out the defending national champions in person.
“I want to get a better relationship with the coaches and feel the environment and the fans,” Thomas said. “And I want to tour the facilities and the campus and get a better feeling for Alabama. They want me for a 3-4 outside linebacker, sometimes standing up and coming off the edge and sometimes jumping into pass coverage which I’m actually doing now with my high school team. Alabama is Alabama. You can’t really speak on too much about that.”
Thomas also has USC, Clemson, Florida State, Ohio State and Georgia on his short list. He’s expecting USC head coach Will Muschamp and defensive line coach Lance Thompson at his game Thursday night along with Florida State defensive line coach Brad Lawing. Thomas said the Gamecocks have worked him the hardest but they’ve always had his heart.
“I grew up a Gamecock fan,” he said. “They’ve got the new coaching staff and stuff. I believe they are going to bring in some good recruiting classes and get the Gamecocks back on track. They tell me I can come there and be the face of the defense and potentially be the face of the program if I keep working hard. Coach Muschamp likes to compare me to Dante Fowler Jr. He coached him at Florida.”
Thomas said Clemson also is after him energetically and is selling him on a good plan.
“Coach Hobby compares me a lot Vic Beasley and I would come there and work off the edge,” Thomas said. “Coach Swinney tells me I’m their one guy for 2018 and I can come there and be the face of the defense.”
So, Thomas grew up a Gamecock fan, which means he couldn’t have much love for Clemson, right? Well, he says not so when it comes to this recruiting battle.
“It really doesn’t affect it too much,” he said. “I’ve been a Gamecock fan and, of course, the rivalry is there. I didn’t really favor Clemson at the time but I don’t let that get in the way of the recruiting stuff. But I did where Gamecock stuff all the time. I favored Clowney and Lattimore.”
Thomas plans to return to USC and Clemson this season. He’s not sure when he’ll go back to Columbia but he knows he’ll be at Clemson for the USC game. He has also been to Georgia this season for a game. He does not claim a favorite at this point.