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On Sept. 16, when the Big Ten announced it would be returning with an eight game-plus one fall season, players who had originally opted out had begun to opt back in.
It took a week for Jalen Mayfield — who opted out just after the Aug. 11 decision to postpone — to reverse course, but since, all eyes in Ann Arbor have been on Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas and Nico Collins — both of whom had signed with agents, like Mayfield. On Monday, on the IMG Radio Network’s Inside Michigan Football show, Jim Harbaugh told Jon Jansen that, “Right now, at this point, Jalen was the only one who submitted that waiver to opt back in,” so for Collins and Thomas, the answers haven’t been quite as clear — whether they intend to seek a return or remain in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, one of the two will not return to Ann Arbor this fall, WolverinesWire confirmed.
Former Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas has confirmed with WolverinesWire that he will not be returning to Ann Arbor for his final season of eligibility and that he will continue to work towards his future in the NFL.
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Two weeks ago, Thomas appeared on SiriusXM’s Big Ten channel 372 with Jon Jansen and hadn’t yet seemed to rule out a return, but had some questions about the viability of it, given that he had signed with an agent.
“I honestly don’t know how all that would work with me signing with an agent already,” Thomas said. “I’m hearing certain things that I could come back. I’m hearing other things that I can’t. A whole bunch of uncertainty still from my end, and right now, answers would clear everything up for me.”
Beyond that, Thomas hadn’t quite shut the door on a potential return, he had told WolverinesWire at the time, but it is shut now, he says.
Now Michigan will turn to a handful of inexperienced players to take Thomas’ place opposite presumed starter Vincent Gray. DJ Turner II, Andre Seldon, Darion Green-Warren, Jalen Perry and others are likely in contention to fill Thomas’ lofty shoes.
In three years, Thomas played in 34 games and had 54 tackles with 3.5 for a loss, 4 interceptions, one forced fumble, five fumble recoveries and one kick returned for a touchdown in the 2017 season opener.
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