4-Star Recruit JF Thomas Unlikely to Enroll At Texas Tech

Multiple sources are reporting that 2015 signee JF Thomas will not enroll at Texas Tech this fall. The 4-star wide receiver prospect from Dallas (South Oak Cliff High School) was a signing day surprise when he changed his commitment from TCU to the Red Raiders.

But throughout the spring, rumors have circulated about Thomas’ ability to academically qualify for the upcoming semester. On May 23, the Lubbock Avalanche Journal reported that Thomas had signed with Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, TX just in case he did not qualify.

"“Today, Daniel Paulling of Wreckem247.com reports that officials at Trinity Valley say “it’s a good chance that he’s playing for Trinity Valley in the fall.”“Today, Daniel Paulling of Wreckem247.com reports that officials at Trinity Valley say “it’s a good chance that he’s playing for Trinity Valley in the fall.”"

Paulling reports that there is an outside chance that Thomas qualifies at Tech, and that the Red Raiders are willing to wait as long as necessary to know Thomas’ status.

Tech signed six wide receivers in its 2015 class, but Thomas was by far the most highly touted. He was the No. 22 WR and No. 178 player in the nation when he signed to play for Kliff Kingsbury.

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Tech has been trying to add size to the outside receiver position, and the 6’4” Thomas was the prototype player that Tech was looking for. Even if Thomas does qualify, he will be behind many of his teammates who have already enrolled at the university for the summer session.

Without Thomas, Tech’s 2015 recruiting class drops almost ten spots in the national rankings, and falls to near the bottom of the Big 12 rankings. Thomas was seen as a replacement for fellow top national 200 WR Carlos Strickland from Dallas (Skyline High School) who initially committed to Tech before deciding to sign with former Red Raider assistant Sonny Dykes at California.

The high school standout caught 75 passes for 1,597-yards and 26 touchdowns last fall for South Oak Cliff, so it is safe to say that Thomas was one of the cornerstones of this class.

He would have been a prime candidate to earn playing time as a true freshman.

The likely absence of Thomas opens opportunities for other incoming freshmen like Tony Brown (La Miranda, California), Jonathan Giles (Missouri City, TX), Quan Shorts (Humble, TX), Keke Coutee (Lufkin, TX), and Donta Thompson (Ennis, TX).

Thomas and fellow 2015 Tech signee, three-star defensive back Jamile Johnson, both played high school football under current Texas Tech Director of Player Personnel Emmett Jones, who was the head coach at South Oak Cliff and a major reason both players decided to come to Lubbock.