Miami lands commitment from four-star 2024 safety Isaiah Thomas

Defensive Coordinator Lance Guidy certainly has a type based on the first two defensive backs added to the 2024 class. Long, versatile, and can tackle in space.

On Wednesday, four-star defensive back Isaiah Thomas made his commitment to Miami's 2024 class. He chose Miami over Auburn, Florida State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Penn State, and Pitt. His decision had much to do with his relationship with Miami defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae.

"I'm really close with Coach Addae, Thomas said. It's a great relationship. I look up to him as someone who has experience at the Power Five level and at the pro level. I just want to play for him."

Thomas visited Miami for the first time last weekend for Miami's spring game and really connected with Addae, defensive coordinator Lance Guidry, and Head Coach Mario Cristobal. The relationship started with Addae's relationship with the coaches at CAI who was also instrumental in bringing Akheem Mesidor to Miami.

"We talked in that room for about an hour," Thomas said. "We talked about the rebuild, and [Cristobal] broke down how he is changing the culture of the U and how he will bring the U back. I am confident that he's going to bring the program back, and I want to be a part of that."

Thomas is Canadian and has a very similar background to Canadian native Mesidor who attended the same high school as Thomas at Clearwater Academy International (CAI). Mesidor hosted Thomas during his visit.

"Me and Akheem were able to connect on the visit. He showed me around. He had nothing but great things to say about Miami. I loved the experience."

Thomas is very much looking forward to learning from both Guidry and Addae, and Thomas called Guidry 'a great defensive coordinator' and was impressed with what he did with Marshall. His strongest connection with the staff is clearly with Addae.

"Coach Addae called me, and we talked for about 30 minutes, and we just connected. He was roommates with one of my coaches back home in Toronto. We both come from similar backgrounds. Both of our dads are born in Ghana and moved to America when they were teenagers. So we have very similar backgrounds."

Thomas visited several schools including Auburn, Florida State, and Syracuse but no visit compared to that of Miami.

"There were no other schools that I was 100 percent sure of after the visit. They just made it feel at home. They made me one thousand percent comfortable. The Spring game went great. Everyone seemed well prepared. The freshman looked really good. I have a relationship with everyone on the staff, its almost like I've been there forever."

Last season he registered, 27 total tackles including 24 solo for CAI. Thomas has a great ability to track down ball carriers and put them on the ground. He also has the ability to make plays in the passing game (as seen on the first play of his game film with an interception returned for a touchdown), but his specialty is tackling in space.

Miami is recruiting Thomas as a safety, but he and the team feel that his versatility can have him play a variety of positions.

"They are recruiting me as a swiss army knife. That's great, because I like to play all over the field. I started playing football at the age of five. I realized when I was about 13, 14 that this is something that I really want take further. I just love playing football."

Miami now has a total of seven commitments to its 2024 class: Kicker Abram Murray, Quarterback Judd Anderson, Wide Receiver Chance Robinson, Defensive Back Dylan Day, Running Back Chris Wheatley-Humphrey, and Offensive Tackle Juan Minaya. The recruiting class that joins Thomas was a big factor in his decision.

"One of the biggest factors was if I trust the players that they are bringing in. Based on what they did last year and the players brought in so far, I trust the staff a thousand percent."

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