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Located in Plantation, Florida; a beautiful, family-oriented suburb just west of Fort Lauderdale and north of Miami.

Located in Plantation, Florida; a beautiful, family-oriented suburb just west of Fort Lauderdale and north of Miami.

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Zae Thomas Joins FSU Football as First Seminole Tribe Member on Scholarship

Historic Signing: Zae Thomas Joins FSU Football as First Seminole Tribe Member on Scholarship

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With the Florida State Seminoles (FSU) football season kicking off on August 30th, we're taking a look back at a historic signing from the American Heritage Schools, Broward Campus, football program.

On December 4, 2024, American Heritage School senior cornerback Greg “Zae” Thomas, a member of the Class of 2025, made history by officially signing a scholarship to play for the Florida State Seminoles. Thomas became the first member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida to sign a football scholarship with FSU, a moment of immense pride for our school and the entire Seminole community. The signing ceremony, attended by his family and Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus W. Osceola Jr., was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication.

Thomas, a four-star recruit, chose the Seminoles over an impressive list of more than 30 other top-tier programs, including Clemson, Miami, LSU, and Penn State. His decision was the result of a remarkable journey. A year before his signing, Thomas had no college offers. He committed himself to a rigorous training regimen, putting in tireless work that he knew would eventually pay off. “I just got to put my head down and block out all the distractions,” Thomas said. “It’s going to be boring and seem lame, and you’re not going to do a lot of things other people do, but hard work pays off. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.”

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His hard work certainly did pay off. Thomas quickly became one of the most highly recruited student-athletes in the history of the Seminole Tribe, a fact that Chairman Osceola recognized as a testament to his work ethic.

During his final season at American Heritage, Thomas was a key player in the team's success, helping the Patriots to a 10-2 record. He also played for Patrick Surtain Sr., who is now the FSU defensive backs coach and was previously the head coach at American Heritage.

Thomas joins a small and distinguished group from the Seminole Tribe who have played major NCAA college football. He is the second Seminole to join FSU football, following wide receiver Justin Motlow, who was a preferred walk-on from 2014-2017. As Thomas embarks on his college career, he is excited to represent his tribe. “A lot of people looking up to me; that’s something I need to keep in mind. That’s extra special,” he said.

We are incredibly proud of Greg "Zae" Thomas and look forward to cheering him on as he makes his debut with the Florida State Seminoles.

This article was compiled from original reporting by Kevin Johnson in the Seminole Tribune and updates from Tomahawk Nation News.