By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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Thomas is leaving his home state, walking away from a flagship school that has won two of the last three national titles. What he is getting, though, may prove to be much more valuable.

It takes a lot to turn down Nick Saban and defending national champion Alabama. For in-state prep star Justin Thomas, all it took was an opportunity.

A four-star recruit from power Prattville High School, Thomas had initially chosen the Crimson Tide over the likes of Florida State and LSU. At 5’11”, 175 pounds, he led the Lions to the AAAAAA state championship as a quarterback. Fit with remarkable agility and quickness, Thomas torched defenses in Alabama’s top classification with a forty yard dash-best of 4.21 seconds as measured at camp in Tuscaloosa last July.

In evaluating Thomas, analysts and coaches shared a similar consensus. In projecting him at the next level, however, opinions were quite varied. Some viewed Thomas as an ideal slot receiver, using his speed to find seams in coverage and then make plays after the catch. Others, Alabama included, thought his burst would be best used as a defensive back blanketing premier receivers downfield.

Thomas clearly felt differently. Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson did as well.

“When I first committed, they were telling me they were going to give me a shot to play quarterback then after a while they told me they wanted me to play DB. That’s not what I really wanted to do,” Thomas explained of his decision to spurn the defending champions for the Yellow Jackets. “I had to make a different choice and I felt like Georgia Tech was that best opportunity.”

Though slightly undersized in comparison to the pro-style prototype, Thomas has many of the skills looked for from a triple-option signal caller. In addition to having many of the measurables, he has some schematic familiarity as well. Thomas put up incredible numbers and won a state championship playing in a similar system in high school.

“The offense is basically like the same kind I have run, but we ran it out of the spread. I feel like I will fit in nicely and will hopefully make some contributions early,” the incoming freshman added.

Being the offensive focal point is a responsibility Thomas has grown accustomed to. He compiled over 2,500 total yards and scored 20 total touchdowns as a senior. In the state championship game against Hoover, Thomas completed 13 of 20 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 151 yards and two more scores. He earned Game MVP honors.

“It should be fun. The offense basically surrounds the quarterback. If the quarterback isn’t doing too good then the team isn’t,” Thomas talked of the triple-option. “That’s the kind of thing I like, to have the ball in my hands and be the main guy on the field.”

While Thomas is known for his speed, don’t make the mistake of overlooking his passing ability. This is a quarterback with the confidence to make plays, including plays downfield. Thomas, facing the best the Yellowhammer State had to offer in the state playoffs this past fall, completed 73% of his postseason passes. The Lions, of course, went 5-0 en route to the state crown and averaged 37 points per game along the way.

“Of course people know I run, but I like to throw the ball more than I run,” Thomas continued. “If the play breaks down, I have the ability to get out of the pocket and still be able to look downfield at the same time. I feel like I can do multiple things.”

Thomas is leaving his home state, walking away from a flagship school that has won two of the last three BCS National Championships. He will no longer play with former Prattville teammate Caleb Gulledge, who signed a scholarship with the Crimson Tide on National Signing Day. He won’t get the fame that comes with joining the nation’s top program. What he is getting, though, may prove to be much more valuable. Georgia Tech has offered Thomas all he ever wanted in the recruiting process: a chance.