Louisiana native Zavion Thomas enters Transfer Portal
Another Louisiana native has hit the NCAA Transfer Portal with Mississippi State wide receiver Zavion Thomas making his decision on Tuesday.
The NCAA Transfer Portal opened on December 4, which began a 30-day window for college football players to enter the portal and explore other options.
Thomas was one of Louisiana’s top recruits in the 2022 class, checking in as the No. 3 wide receiver in the state behind LSU’s Aaron Anderson and Alabama’s Shazz Preston.
The former four-star prospect spent the past two seasons in Starkville, where he became one of the nation’s top return specialists.
Thomas is one of America’s best return specialists
Thomas has appeared in 22 games during his two seasons with Mississippi State, logging eight starts.
One year ago, Thomas – just a true freshman – ranked No. 5 in the NCAA in punt return average (13.5) with a career-long 63-yard punt return touchdown coming against Georgia. The Football Writer’s Association of America named Thomas the First-Team punt returner on the Freshman All-American Team.
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Thomas picked up where he left off in the return game this season, logging his first career kickoff returned for a touchdown to begin the November matchup with Texas A&M.
The New Orleans native and former John Ehret standout ranked in the Top 5 among SEC players in average yards per punt return in both 2022 and 2023.
A strong 2023 season at WR is in the books
Thomas made an instant impact in the return game in both 2022 and 2023, but his emergence as a wide receiver came this season.
After catching two passes for four yards in 2022, Thomas broke through 40 catches for 503 yards and a touchdown this season – an impressive mark given the Bulldogs finished No. 13 among 14 SEC teams in passing yards per game this season (181.8).
In high school, Thomas finished his senior season at John Ehret with more than 2,000 all-purpose yards, including 1,025 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns, giving him back-to-back 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons. Thomas also rushed for 779 yards and six touchdowns and added three punt returns for touchdowns in his final year before signing with Mississippi State.
