Recruiting never sleeps, and South Carolina fans are watching closely as four-star running back commit Amari Thomas prepares to visit Florida State this weekend for the Seminole's showdown with Alabama. Chop Chat confirmed that the Gamecock pledge will be in Tallahassee, the very place he called home before flipping to South Carolina.
Thomas was originally part of FSU's prized 2025 class, committing to the Seminoles on January 27. However, in mid-July, he announced that his recruitment was reopened. Shortly after, the buzz that he was committing to South Carolina started building and was confirmed a few weeks later on August 8.
A Blountstown, Fl. native, Thomas rushed for 1,880 yards and 34 touchdowns in his junior season. At 5-foot-10, 187-pounds, Thomas brings SEC-ready speed and balance to the backfield, a vision that head coach Shane Beamer and his staff sold convincingly. According to The State, Thomas said: “They tell me I’m an SEC back.” Those words seem to hit home, because on August 8, he announced his commitment to South Carolina, picking the Gamecocks over FSU, Georgia Tech, and Colorado.
Still, recruiting is rarely linear. His return visit to Florida State adds drama to an already high-stakes storyline. Is this just a courtesy to former connections? Or the Seminoles' bid to pull him back?
For now, South Carolina holds Thomas's pledge. And fans in Columbia believe Williams-Brice Stadium is where his future lies, but as the season heats up, Thomas's journey is a reminder of how wild recruiting can be sometimes. The only certainty is that this story isn't finished.