A thin linebacker position for Florida State got a bit thinner Tuesday as sophomore Matthew Thomas was ruled ineligible, according to Warchant.
A former 5-star recruit out of South Florida, Thomas chose the Seminoles over USC and Georgia. After initially wanting out of his letter of intent, Thomas recorded four tackles, two for loss, and a sack in 2013 before succumbing to a season-ending shoulder injury.
Thomas was suspended for the first half of 2014 for failing a drug test before the BCS Championship against Auburn at the end of 2013. Thomas was expected to miss at least half of the 2015 season after having reconstructive shoulder surgery.
Junior college transfer Lorenzo Phillips was expected to join the team this week to help bolster a thin corps of FSU linebackers, but has still not been cleared academically.
Seniors Terrance Smith and Reggie Northrup are the expected starters and both are on the Butkus Award watch list, but have each been oft-injured with Northrup coming off a knee injury.
Behind them is a handful of younger players like redshirt sophomores Tyrell Lyons and Ro’Derrick Hoskins as well as freshmen Delvin Purifoy and Sh’Mar Kilby-Lane. The four of them along with Phillips have just 12 combined career FBS tackles.
Jacob Pugh, a sophomore, finished 2014 with 12 tackles and a pair of interceptions, but is expected to be used primarily as a pass-rusher this season.
