Position: Wide receiver Height 1.91 m Education Ohio State University | College: Ohio State Weight 92 kg Parents Michael Thomas, Sr. | |
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Date of birth: (1993-03-03) March 3, 1993 (age 24) Place of birth: Los Angeles, California High school: Woodland Hills (CA) Taft NFL Draft: 2016 / Round: 2 / Pick: 47 Current team New Orleans Saints (#13 / Wide receiver) Similar Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead, Mark Ingram Jr, Drew Brees, Vonn Bell Profiles | ||
Michael Thomas (born March 3, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Thomas played college football for the Ohio State University.
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Early years
Thomas attended Taft High School in Woodland Hills, California. As a senior, he had 86 receptions for a state-leading 1,656 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Toreadors. Thomas was ranked by Rivals.com as a four-star recruit. He committed to Ohio State University to play college football. Thomas attended Fork Union Military Academy for a year after high school and was roommates with fellow Ohio State teammate Cardale Jones.
College career
Thomas played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2012. He had three receptions for 22 yards. As a sophomore in 2013, Thomas was redshirted. Thomas entered his redshirt sophomore season in 2014 as a backup, but eventually took over as a starter. He ended the season leading the team in receptions with 54 for 799 yards and nine touchdowns. In the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship victory over Oregon, he had four receptions for 53 yards. On January 5, 2016, he announced his intention to enter the 2016 NFL Draft.
Professional career
On April 29, 2016, Thomas was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round (47th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. On May 9, 2016, the Saints signed Thomas to a four-year, $5.11 million contract with $2.60 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $1.92 million.
The Saints named Thomas one of their starting wide receivers, along with Brandin Cooks, for their 2016 season opener against the Oakland Raiders. He finished his first career start with six receptions for 58 yards. On September 26, 2016, he caught his first career touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Drew Brees during the second quarter of a Monday Night Football matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Thomas finished the 45–32 loss with seven catches for 71 receiving yards and a touchdown. On October 23, 2016, he had his first game with over a hundred receiving yards after he finished with a season-high ten receptions for 130 receiving yards in a 21–27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. During a Week 9 contest at the San Francisco 49ers, Thomas caught two touchdown passes and made five catches for 73-yards, as the Saints routed the 49ers 41–23. On November 27, 2016, Thomas caught nine passes for 108 receiving yards and tied his season-high of two touchdown receptions in a 49-21 win over the Los Anegeles Rams. During his rookie season, Thomas set franchise records for a rookie in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
Personal life
Thomas is the nephew of former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
