Detroit King's Ambry Thomas commits to Michigan
Detroit King receiver/defensive back Ambry Thomas will be playing at Michigan.
He announced his decision Wednesday night in a YouTube video, which he posted via Twitter. King coach Tyrone Spencer confirmed the commitment to The Detroit News in a phone call Wednesday night.
Thomas, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior, will be playing defensive back at Michigan, where his cousin, Cass Tech defensive back Jaylen Kelly-Powell is already committed.
Thomas becomes UM's 13th four-star athlete of this year's 21 current commits. He's also the No. 3 cornerback in the country and No. 2 in the state.
According to 247Sports, Michigan is now No. 7 in the overall recruiting rankings, up two spots from the beginning of the week.
“He’s going to fit in really well,” Spencer said of Thomas. “He had to go where he feels comfortable. That’s a place he feels comfortable with. They have a good defense. He knows that he’s going to have to go in there and compete for a spot, so he’s going to go and do that. He’ll be playing, though.”
For Spencer, who just completed his first season as King’s coach, following the death of longtime coach Dale Harvel of a heart attack in August, Thomas is in the top two of the players he’s helped coach.
The first, he said, is Michigan State defensive back Donnie Corley, but Thomas is a close second.
“He’s a phenomenal athlete,” Spencer said. “One of the best to come out of King. He really took on that leadership role his senior year. He really worked and matured as far as how much work he’s put in to get better. I’m really proud of him. He’s really one of the top guys I’ve ever coached. Donnie Corley is one and (Thomas) is two. He’s right behind Donnie in that will to win, the will to compete. That really sets him apart.”
As far as the decision to commit, that was all Thomas.
“I just gave him advice, as far as really just how to understand that you go where you’re wanted and you have to make your decision and be comfortable about it,” Spencer said. “There were talks and talks and talks about what he wanted to do. It’s good for him. Now, he has that pressure on him. He can get to work and go play for them in Ann Arbor.”
Detroit News All-State Dream Team
In the video, Thomas said his finalists were UM, Michigan State and Penn State in the Big Ten, as well as Florida and Pittsburgh.
“He always kind of knew where he wanted to go,” Spencer said. “There were a couple other places that were close. I know he felt comfortable at State, I knew he felt comfortable at Michigan and I knew he felt comfortable at Penn State. It came down to where he was going to have the most success.”
Thomas had 37 catches for 902 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. He also had two interceptions and returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns this season for King, which won back-to-back Division 2 state championships in 2015 and 2016.
Al Willman is a freelance writer