Deanthony Thomas Chooses to Become a Duck

Deanthony Thomas the impressive running back from Crenshaw High School running back/cornerback De’Anthony Thomas says he will play at Oregon.

The five-star recruit announced Wednesday night at Crenshaw that he had decided to sign a letter of intent with the Ducks.

Thomas gave a soft verbal commitment to USC last year before the Trojans were hit with NCAA sanctions that resulted in a two-year postseason ban. Then reports surfaced that he had recently visited Eugene.

At 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, Thomas is smart, fast and elusive. He rushed for 1,299 yards and 18 touchdowns and had five interceptions, leading the Cougars to their second straight City Section title last season.

The consensus is that Thomas will be a cornerback in college.

Thomas, ranked No. 16 in the ESPNU 150, is one of the most decorated prep players ever to come from Los Angeles. He had been considered one of the jewels of USC’s class.

He had been committed to USC since last spring and only recently seemed to be wavering. Over the weekend, he took an official visit to Oregon and reports immediately began trickling out of Eugene that one of the top playmakers in the country might flip.

Thomas, known locally as “The Black Mamba,” rushed for 1,306 yards, caught 16 passes for 349 yards and scored 27 touchdowns as a senior. He was the Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year as Crenshaw won its second straight title.