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🏈 Azareye’h Thomas, a Niceville High and Florida State alum, was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round.
🎯 Thomas recorded 65 tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble during his college career at FSU.
🏆 Principal Charlie Morello described Thomas as the best high school football player he has ever seen due to his performance and work ethic.
Niceville High Alum and former Florida State Cornerback Azarey’eh Thomas received his orders from the National Football League in the third round of this year’s draft: He’s headed to New York.
The New York Jets picked Thomas in with the 73rd pick in the annual pick off the 32 teams host every year.
RELATED: Our last interview with Azareye’h Thomas.
Azareye’h is the second Thomas brother to make it to Sunday Football. His older brother Juanyeh, who plays Safety for the Dallas Cowboys, made it to the big time as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech.
During his time at Florida State, he appeared in a total of 53 games in three years. He accumulated two interceptions, including one against the University of Florida in their rivalry game last year, 65 tackles and a forced fumble. (Stats from ESPN.)
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Niceville Principal Charlie Morello remembered the kind of guy Azareye’h Thomas was during his school when we talked to him after the draft.
RELATED: Niceville falls in the Final Four to Lakeland High School in 3OT Thriller.
“Azareye’h was a really unassuming, uncharacteristically, humble and modest young man. He was not showy. He was not flashy. He just went out and did the work,” Marello said, “Having been a previous coach for 10 years and then being here [at Niceville High School] for nine years, I’ve seen a lot of players. He’s the best high school football player that I have ever seen.”
MBN: What Made Him the Best?
“At the 6A level, you don’t find a lot of guys who play on both sides of the ball, but Azareye’h did and he was the most impactful player in the game on both sides of the ball every night,” Morello added.
MBN: Did it suprise you that he was drafted?
“Not at all. Not at all. A lot of local guys are hooked in with some of the Florida State coaches, and some of the NFL guys like [NHS Alum and LA Rams Scout] Taylor Morton, who’s a scout with the Rams. , We’ve been hearing for a couple of years that he was really on the radar to have a chance to get in the league,” Morello said, “If there’s a kid who has the motivation and the work ethic to do whatever it took to make that happen for him and his family, that that young man would do it.”
