De'Anthony Thomas made it official, announcing he would attend the University of Oregon in a ceremony at Crenshaw High School on Wednesday evening. The announcement is a huge signing day coup for the Ducks, who somehow managed to lure the nation's No. 1 athlete away from the USC Trojans. The Black Mamba, as he's called, verbally committed to Lane Kiffin and the Trojans all the way back in May of 2010 and had been considered a firm commit until just a few days ago.
Thomas secretly visited Oregon this past weekend, a step Chip Kelly requires before accepting a commitment from a potential student-athlete. Word leaked late Sunday night that Thomas had been in Eugene and speculation began to swirl that he would sign with the Ducks when signing day rolled around. The picture of Thomas in Oregon gear that mysterious appeared online on Tuesday only added fuel to the fire.
Reports surfaced on Wednesday afternoon indicating Thomas had already informed Lane Kiffin and the USC staff of his intentions to switch, though both teams continued to lobby hard throughout the day. Even still, Thomas and his family appeared to waver until the end, with his mother still lobbying for USC down to the wire.
With Thomas in the fold, Oregon's recruiting class should see a major boost, though it was already one of the top classes in the nation. USC and Oregon were both jockeying for position atop the Pac-12 recruiting rankings, with each assembling a top-15 class as Letters of Intent rolled-in throughout the day. No matter where the Oregon class ends up, Kelly added another explosive athlete to an Oregon team already filled with high-caliber skill players.
For more on Wednesday's action, check out our national signing day StoryStream.