In a perfect world in which the college football season goes off on time, Monday, June 8 marks 87 days until NC State’s season and ACC opener against Louisville, a Thursday night road game that will likely be nationally televised, although a formal announcement on the network has yet to be made.
Each day, The Wolfpacker will do a countdown to the season with a reflection on the significance of that number to NC State.
#87 Thayer Thomas
Career: Thayer Thomas enters the 2020 season as a redshirt junior at wide receiver. After redshirting his freshman year as a walk-on, Thomas earned a scholarship in the spring of 2018.
Thomas became a regular contributor during his redshirt freshman season in 2018 and finished fourth on the team in receiving yards that year with 383 yards and three touchdown receptions.
A multi-talented offensive weapon, the wide receiver delivered as a trick-play quarterback and completed a 56-yard pass against Georgia State in 2018. It was the same contest in which Thomas became the quickest player in NC State history to turn in a 100-yard receiving game. Along with his 56-yard completion, Thomas brought in nine receptions for 114 yards in just his second game of his college playing career.
Thomas became a regular starter as a redshirt sophomore in 2019 starting in 10 games but produced similar receiving numbers as the year prior while playing through with a nagging hamstring. Thomas brought in 31 receptions for 334 yards in 2019 along with three receiving touchdowns. His production did increase as a passer, however, as he threw two touchdown passes last season including the only Wolfpack touchdown in the 16-10 win over Syracuse.
Background: Thomas is a local product of Heritage High in Raleigh, N.C., where he was coached by legendary NC State wide receiver Torry Holt, who was an assistant and wide receiver's coach at the school from 2015-2018.
Number 87 was a standout multi-sport athlete in high school. He earned all-conference honors in baseball his junior and senior seasons and holds the Heritage school record in hits, batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Thomas also holds the school record for assists in basketball and receptions in football.
Thomas picked up several accolades for his high school athletic performance including the WRAL Extra Effort Award and the Bill Dooley NCHSAA Award. He was also named Male Athlete of the Year by HighSchoolOT.com in 2017.
Fun Fact: Thomas was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 33rd round of the 2019 MLB Draft after playing in 14 games and starting in four as an outfielder for the Wolfpack in 2019.
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