There are few players in Oregon athletics, let alone football, that will leave a more lasting mark than running back De'Anthony Thomas. At 5-foot-10 and 176 pounds, there were some initial concerns as to how he would pan out at the Division 1 level, but Thomas continually flashed highlight after highlight--often simplifying the game of football itself--until the nation couldn't ignore him.
Now, as Thomas leaves a year early to take his unique talents to the NFL, the nation will remember him through the one channel he connected best with his fans: Instagram. Thomas was and will continue to be a lovable/laughable character on and off the gridiron and it was reflected through his vibrant Instagram account.
HERE ARE THOMAS' TOP 15 INSTAGRAM PHOTOS OF ALL TIME IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
15. For those that are from the Northwest, you'll understand why this picture got so much traction. In combination with Thomas being infamously simplistic with his word choice and deer being among the most commonly viewed animals in the state of Oregon, this photo beautifully summed up everything that is DAT.
14. (Excuse the lone picture from Twitter) If you know anything about Thomas, it's that he isn't shy about sharing his personal life off the field. And in this case, Thomas wasn't shy about letting the world know that he was adding some pretty expensive accessories to his pearly whites. Uncle Snoop has to have been proud.
13. When Thomas posted this photo with the caption "DONT THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH" alongside "ONE MORE YEAR," the entire college football nation didn't know what to make of it. Call it ambiguous or premature, but Thomas would later opt to declare for the 2014 NFL Draft.
12. See, what did I tell you?
11. There is no DAT without his pet iguana Gucci. Thomas loves his diverse groups of pets, but Gucci definitely ranks among the top of them.
10. Nothing like promoting your uncle's new app: Snoopify.
9. While it was just for a short YMCA season, Thomas the football player, transformed into DAT head coach. What did he have his elementary school players do during practice you ask? Pull ups apparently.
8. Thomas and Ralph Polo Lauren went hand in hand. I guess his "drawl" game did too.
7. Being spontaneous with no context was Thomas' Instagram motto. Take this photo as evidence.
6. Everyone remembers Thomas for his football abilities, but on this play, he added in a photo finish. For those that didn't know, Thomas also ran track and field for Oregon.
5. There's no description needed for this one.
4. Apparently Thomas can read minds in addition to being the fastest player on the field. This was a little before Thomas became the player he is today, but that didn't mean his humor wasn't just as priceless.
3. Thomas has shown his affection towards his dogs and pet iguana Gucci, but when he posted this picture of his rather large pet snake, words no longer had any bearing.
2. Nothing like seeing the DAT with Uncle Snoop together on the field.
1. Whether or not Thomas was actually eating McDonalds is besides the point. Just another golden moment of DAT being DAT.
