Former Tennessee safety Jakobe Thomas committed to Miami football on Thursday night just over a week after he announced his intentions to leave the Tennessee football program.
Thomas took visits to both Florida State and Miami after entering the transfer portal before eventually landing with Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes.
Thomas was the Vols’ third safety a season ago where he totaled 22 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two pass deflections. With Will Brooks graduating after last season, Thomas was poised to step up into a starting spot this fall along with Andre Turrentine.
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The junior safety, played in all 13 games last season and totaled 263 snaps earning a 68.5 PFF grade. Thomas had the second best PFF grade amongst Tennessee safeties coming in behind Brooks. Cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson were the only other Tennessee defensive backs who earned a better grade than Thomas.
Thomas’ departure is magnified by Tennessee also losing backup safeties Christian Charles and John Slaughter to the portal earlier this spring. The Vols’ remaining safeties include Turrentine, Jourdan Thomas, Edrees Farooq and a handful of freshman options.
Farooq flashed at times as a freshman and could step up into a starting job. Thomas was in line to start at STAR for Tennessee last season before tearing his ACL during preseason practice. He has previous playing experience at safety and could move back to the spot this season.
Thomas joins a Miami program that’s coming off a strong 10-3 season. The Hurricane had one of the nation’s best offenses led by quarterback Cam Ward but had a truly putrid defense that kept Miami out of the College Football Playoff. Thomas looks to give that Miami defense a boost this fall.
