Most ambitious people spend their lives laser focused on becoming the best at one craft. The vast majority never reach the pinnacle of their respective field. According to the NCAA, only 1.5% of college football players make it to the NFL. Chad Thomas wants to be added to that 1.5% and some think he can take home music's highest honor, too.
Thomas, who played DE and recorded 41 tackles for the Miami Hurricanes in 2017, doesn't see being the best in two fields as daunting.
"They'll never understand somebody doing something and being great at two things that require a lot of mental ability, a lot of strenuous hours," Thomas told Master Tesfatsion of Bleacher Report. "They'll never understand that because it ain't easy to them. But it's easy to me."
The 22-year-old producer/rapper, who goes by "Major Nine" in the booth, has both music and football in his blood. Thomas' great uncle, Roger Finnie, spent 11 seasons in the NFL playing offensive tackle for the Saints, Cardinals, and Jets. At the age of three, Thomas' grandmother taught him how to play the piano and from there he picked up a slew of other instruments including bass, acoustic guitar, drums, and trombone.
His dedication to music has led to him producing songs for hip-hop chart toppers like Rick Ross and Kodak Black. Drake and DJ Khaled have sampled his production, too.
"I'm telling you right now. He's gonna win a Grammy," said Sam Sneak, Ross' official DJ.
Earlier this month, Thomas dropped his five-track EP, Lil Tape.
However, don't make of the mistake of thinking Thomas' time in the studio has hindered his performance on the gridiron. NFL.com analyst, Lance Zierlein, believes Thomas could be a second or third-rounder.
"[Thomas] has all the physical and athletic traits that a team could look for along the edge and he's versatile enough to play in an odd or even front," said Zierlein.
Back in March, NBA legend Kobe Bryant became the first sports champion to win an Oscar. Time will tell how far each of Thomas' talents take him, but the first professional step in his football journey will likely come later this week.
