Matthew Thomas is Hopefully FSU’s Feel-Good Story This Season

From the time now-redshirt junior linebacker Matthew Thomas committed to Florida State, nothing has seemed to go smoothly.

Once a 5-star recruit out of South Florida, Thomas has played in just 12 games and recorded only 30 tackles in his first three years at FSU. Thomas originally wanted out of his commitment after signing with the Seminoles and since then, has struggled to stay on the field.

As a true freshman in 2013, Thomas appeared in four games for FSU before being sidelined for the final 10 games with a neck injury while his team went on to finish 14-0 and win the national championship. It has been alleged that as the Seminoles were preparing to take on Auburn for the BCS National Championship, Thomas was suspended for a failed drug test which forced him to miss about half of 2014.

Thomas recorded 26 tackles in eight games in 2014, but after a shoulder injury ended his spring of 2015, he was ruled ineligible prior to the start of the season for an undisclosed matter. During this time, Thomas has also had to deal with the death of his mother.

Entering his fourth season in Tallahassee, the Seminoles need Thomas to perform more than ever. At 6-3 and nearly 230 pounds, Thomas is a proven blitzer and an outstanding athlete capable of running down opposing ball-carriers.

Fisher acknowledged that Thomas has hit some bumps both as a player and in his personal life since arriving in Tallahassee, but noted that Thomas had a good spring. So far in practices this fall, Thomas has been FSU’s best player at the position.

“He’s very easy to coach,” FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher said in April. “(He’s) a great young man and very respectful of the things he has to do.”

Thomas’ need to finally put it all together has much to do with the Seminoles’ uncertainty at the position. FSU typically plays only two linebackers and five defensive backs, but aside from Ro’Derrick Hoskins, Thomas is the only member of the contingent with any meaningful experience.

There is talent behind Thomas and Hoskins on the depth chart, but it’s all either young or unproven talent. With a starting defensive front that is perhaps as good as anyone’s and arguably the nation’s deepest secondary, the linebacking corps could be the difference between FSU having a good defense and a championship defense in 2016.

Thomas without question, has more raw ability than anyone the Seminoles have at the linebacker position. If Thomas can stay healthy and focused on school and football, there’s no limit to what he could do for FSU on the field. If nothing else, Thomas being able to put it all together would serve as a valuable lesson in perseverance for young people back in South Florida and throughout the state.