When Lovie Smith and his coaching staff were brought in to help revive the tattered name of Illinois football, their obvious focus was on bringing in the very best recruits in the state, region and country. With recruiting season kicking into high gear, a good deal of their attention is zeroed in on wide receiver Jeff Thomas from East St. Louis High School.
Thomas’ size, 5’10” and 165 pounds, isn’t necessarily what recruiters salivate over. However, his 4.38 time in the 40 stamps him as a potential game-breaker and his production in high school was enough to help him win All-American accolades.