Checotah’s Elijah Thomas has known from a young age where he’s headed in life.
That was never as evident as when he respectively declined a camp invite from Alabama, arguably the most prestigious college football program of all time, after receiving an offer to play football for the Crimson Tide. His family raised him in a town of just over 3,000 people two hours east of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and are lifelong Sooners fans.
“It’s always been OU, and when they offered him, it was pretty much a done deal,” Checotah head football coach Zac Ross said of the Sooners’ wide receiver commit.
Ross, who’s been around Thomas since eighth grade, has seen his determination to play major college football for OU firsthand. It’s never been a matter of if but when.
Thomas is the No. 3-ranked player in The Oklahoman’s 2025 Super 30 rankings of the state's top 2025 college football recruits.
He even grinded last spring, often carrying his laptop as he walked through the hallways to try to finish assignments in between classes, in an effort to graduate early this December so he can enroll early at OU for spring practices.
Hailing from a small town, Thomas’ work ethic and commitment to his craft made him stand out. He holds numerous Power Four offers, but Thomas’ main motivation, combined with the determination to do what he loves and live out his dreams, is to prove to other athletes from Checotah and around the state can accomplish what they set out to.
“There's been a lot of good athletes here in Checotah and not everyone has made it,” Ross said. “That's one of the things he's prided himself on. He wants to show people that they can make it out of Checotah and do good things, positive things.”
Being a major recruit brings unique challenges but if you’re from Checotah or didn’t know Thomas was a four-star, he’s like a normal teenager, according to Ross. He puts a major emphasis on family and being a positive influence in the community.
No matter how late the Wildcats return home from away games on Friday nights in the fall, Thomas is up early Saturday mornings to show his face at the youth football games.
He’s even spent the majority of the offseason pouring into the incoming freshman at Checotah, offering rides to practice for those who need them.
“His leadership skills (stand out), he’s got an internal motivation that he’s had for a long time that makes him use the best with what he’s got,” Ross said. “It’s pretty special of him (to buy-in to our players). And it started from the beginning because he already knew where he was going to go.”
A two-way player for the Wildcats who also returns kicks and punts, Thomas is looking to build off his monstrous 2023 season when he caught 61 passes for 1,197 yards and 15 touchdowns and added 50 tackles, one sack and one interception at safety. Checotah fell to Holland Hall 38-13 in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs and Thomas is aiming to end his final season at the school on a higher note.
The most important objective for Thomas besides improving his game for when he steps foot on campus in Norman, is pouring into his teammates and repping his town the right way. The belief he’s shown in himself has led him to his dream school and it will surely stick with him long past his much anticipated senior season.
“He’s understanding he’s the best player and he’s pretty confident in that,” Ross said. “He’s stayed humble, but you can just tell in his confidence that he believes in what he is.”
The Oklahoman’s 2025 Super 30
- Name: Elijah Thomas
- School: Checotah
- Super 30 ranking: No. 3
- Height: 6-foot-1
- Weight: 183 pounds
- Position: Wide receiver
- Committed to: OU
The Oklahoman’s 2025 Super 30 feature series
The Oklahoman’s Super 30 feature series will spotlight each high school football player on the Super 30 recruit rankings for the 2025 class through July 21. The series continued Thursday with No. 3, Checotah’s Elijah Thomas. See No. 2 on the list in Friday’s edition of The Oklahoman.
Here are the last five players we’ve featured:
- No. 4: Nate Roberts, TE, Washington
- No. 5: Jaden Nickens, WR, Douglass
- No. 6: Dakotah Terrell, TE, Pocola
- No. 7: Alexander Shieldnight, EDGE, Wagoner
- No. 8: Broderick Shull, OT, Bixby
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