Throughout spring practices, Colorado quarterbacks haven’t been trying to throw the ball to Cree Thomas. In fact, they’d like to avoid it.
The redshirt freshman from Phoenix, however, keeps finding the ball in his hands.
“I don’t know how many takeaways he has right now,” cornerbacks coach Aaron Fletcher said this week. “Itap, like, insane.”
A transfer from Notre Dame, Thomas is angling for a starting role at cornerback and he’s turning heads so far this spring with his play-making ability.
“Thatap definitely been my mindset and especially recently,” he said of making plays. “Ever since the spring started and even in the offseason I’ve just been thinking a lot, and I feel like I need to go make plays. Like, I can’t let it come to me, and so thatap kind of the mindset that I’m coming with this season, go make the play.”
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Thomas starred for three years at Brophy Prep in Phoenix, recording 116 tackles, nine interceptions and 14 passes defended.
A three-star recruit coming out of high school, Thomas picked Notre Dame over Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon and others. Last year with the Irish, however, he played in just three games as he used his redshirt year.
Thomas spent the 2025 season learning from veterans, including All-American cornerback Leonard Moore, who was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
“Last year I played behind two great corners, specifically Leonard Moore, and I learned a lot from him. Thatap my guy,” Thomas said. “So I was watching film with him, I was preparing with him like I was the starter.”
Because of that, Thomas came to CU loaded with confidence.
“I know that I can play,” he said. “I’m playing with confidence, and thatap through God. So thatap all I want to do is just come out here and play with confidence and show the world what I can do.”
Fletcher, in his first season with the Buffs, smiled when asked about how Thomas is doing this spring.
“He’s got a point to prove,” Fletcher said. “There’s a scripture I always reference, and it makes me think about him a lot of times. It says, ‘The stone that the builders refused has become the chief cornerstone.’ In his mind he was refused, he wasn’t the best, he was overlooked.
“He’s finding those ways to challenge himself and finding those ways to create advantages for himself also, and you’re starting to see it show up on the field. You start seeing it show up in the weight room. … He’s doing a lot of really good things and I’m enjoying watching him.”
Thomas is one of several transfers in the cornerback room, including Justin Eaglin (James Madison), Emory Floyd (Appalachian State) and Paul Omodia (Lamar), who all earned all-conference honors last season.
The room also includes fellow redshirt freshman transfer Jason Stokes (from Utah), as well as returners RJ Johnson and Makari Vickers.
What role Thomas winds up playing remains to be seen, but so far he’s pleased with his decision to transfer to CU and play for the Buffs and head coach Deion Sanders, a Hall of Fame cornerback.
“First of all, you get the opportunity to learn from Coach Prime,” he said. “He’s the greatest to ever do it at my position. I feel like they’re going to put me in positions to play to my strengths, playing press-man. Thatap something that I’m confident in.
“And I love Boulder; I loved the city when I came on the visit, so thatap why I decided to come here. And also, I just wanted to be a part of a culture shift. I wanted to be a part of that change and go win some games here.”
