BEAUMONT, Texas — After having a breakout sophomore campaign, Port Arthur-Memorial's Jordon Thomas was ready to take his game to the next level. Then in week one of his junior year, Thomas suffered an ankle injury that sidelined the defensive end for the rest of the season.
"As soon as I got injured I knew I broke my ankle because I felt it pop," Thomas said. "I knew I was about to go through a tough, long journey."
The road to recovery wasn't an easy one for Thomas, but after several months of rehab, the four-star recruit is back and ready to rock and roll.
"It was a tough road and it tested mentally," Thomas said. "But I prevailed from it and everything is good now."
Great is more like it for the 6"3, 240 pound defender. After turning down offers from LSU, TCU and Baylor among others, Thomas narrowed his offer sheet down to Texas and Texas A&M.
Three weeks later, Thomas would announce his commitment on Twitter to the University of Texas.
"Two reasons," Thomas said. "State on your chest and family on your back. Also, because I'm Muslim, I really want to make my pilgrimage to Mecca and coach Giles and coach Herman told me they (University of Texas) do a lot of charity out there and I'm real big on charity."
Thomas is one of six recruits in his 2021 class that is four stars or higher. And with early national signing day still a number of months away, coach Herman has proved he is committed to turning Texas football around. Until then, Thomas is ready to bounce back for his senior season.
"I want to get better at all my techniques," Thomas said. "I'm trying to have more tackles, more sacks and more tackles for losses than last year."