Look out world: the newest member of the Thomas family is just about to arrive.
That player is Archbishop Shaw LB Harlem Thomas, the son of former New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks CB Fred Thomas, and the little brother of Destrehan safety and 4 star LSU commit Jhase Thomas. Harlem had the privilege to grow up in an NFL household with his father as the perfect teacher, setting him on the right path to become a future football star himself.
“He shows you what you need and gives you the things that you know, so you are already prepared when you get to the next level, and you already have that role model.”
Archbishop Shaw LB Harlem Thomas
Harlem’s taken many lessons from his father, things that he has learned to apply both on and off the field. He’s gotten to see firsthand what kind of difference football can make on a person and a family. While he is just going into his sophomore year, he is already putting in the work to become a future leader on the defensive side of the ball.
“My favorite part about football is knowing where it can get you. You can be great, doing these certain things, and you can make an impact on different people as well as yourself.”
Archbishop Shaw LB Harlem Thomas
That work isn’t just contained to the football season itself. Football is a year-round sport for him, where everything he does is with the purpose of becoming a better football player. He felt that he wasn’t an aggressive enough player on the field, so he joined the wrestling team for a year to help fix that problem. He is on a 7v7 team in the offseason, Louisiana Defcon, where he participates in various tournaments throughout the spring to keep honing his craft. He was with his team at the Gridiron Football Battle on the Bayou tournament back in February, where we got to see him go out and show his game.
“I enjoyed it a lot. It was our 2nd tournament together, so we were able to become more of a single team, get experience against other good teams, and help me to become a better player.”
Archbishop Shaw LB Harlem Thomas on the Gridiron Football Battle on the Bayou 7v7 Tournament
Harlem is returning to an Archbishop Shaw team that just won its first State Championship since 1987 partially off the back of an extremely impressive defense. There are big shoes to fill following that title run, but Harlem is poised to be one of the key contributors as early as next season. He already got a little bit of playing time in his freshman year, and he’s ready to take that next step forward on the path to becoming an elite defensive player.
My competitiveness and leadership are my biggest strengths. I like to lead my guys to a win, or when somebody is doing bad, I will help them pick up the pace. No matter what I’m doing, whether it’s a big game or just a little scrimmage, I’m going to be competitive and do my best.
Archbishop Shaw LB Harlem Thomas
One question that still remains with Harlem is where exactly he will be playing on the defensive side of the ball moving forward. He’s currently listed as a linebacker, but the great footwork he possesses could allow him to transition to a more hybrid role as a linebacker/box safety. This potential transition is also highlighted in the current NFL player he looks up to the most: Fred Warner, one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL. Whether he does transition to becoming a box safety with a linebacker’s ability to tackle, or he becomes a Fred Warner-like linebacker with a safety’s ability to cover, we know Harlem Thomas will be making a great impact on his defense in the future.
“I like watching Fred Warner. He’s a versatile linebacker, I like how he moves and how agile he is.”
Archbishop Shaw LB Harlem Thomas
While football is a year-long endeavor for Harlem, it isn’t totally life consuming. He is an academic weapon too, proving his work ethic off the field with a 3.5 GPA. He finds time for other hobbies as well, most importantly fishing, which is something a lot of people might not know about him. He goes out and fishes whenever he has the chance to.
“It’s a great hobby. Being on water, chilling on water, and getting the adrenaline when you catch a fish is great.”
Archbishop Shaw LB Harlem Thomas
The bottom line is this: Harlem Thomas is an up-and-coming defensive chess piece with a great work ethic in everything he does, whether that’s on the field or in the classroom. He has the aspirations to be an NFL player, and the work ethic and pedigree to potentially get there one day. Forget about him at your peril, because one day, he might be lined up on the field opposite you, and you’ll have wished you would have gotten him on your team instead.
“If you want a fast, smart on the field type of guy, a leader on the field, then I’m the guy for you.”
Archbishop Shaw LB Harlem Thomas
