Cynai Thomas on Oregon State Beavers commitment: ‘It’s in my blood’

Cynai Thomas on Oregon State Beavers commitment: ‘It’s in my blood’ originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Archbishop Riordan (California) wide receiver Cynai Thomas is committed to the Oregon State Beavers and will follow in the footsteps of his older brother, senior safety Skyler Thomas.

The two brothers are close, and communicate daily.

They both come across as strikingly mature and grounded for their respective ages, and neither shies away from a difficult question. 

So, it should come as no surprise that Cynai readily admits he, like most viewers, got emotional watching his brother’s postgame news conference after a close loss to Houston earlier this season.

Facing the media after a heartbreaking defeat, Skyler spoke clearly, confidently and impassioned about how the team needed to finish and how blessed he felt to be an Oregon State football player.

Is this a low point?

“No, sIr,” Thomas said. “I still think of it as a high point - just being of the position I’m in. A lot of people would be killing for my position. The position I’m in right now, I still see it as a high point. Still going to come back every day and play for these dudes in the locker room, play for these coaches, play for that staff, play for the people of Corvallis.”

Where does that come from?

“I just love it,” he said. “I love football. I love the city of Corvallis. I love Oregon State. I love the guys that we have. I love the coaching staff that we have. I basically love everything about it, so it makes it easy to be grateful for the opportunity.”

Despite the 0-6 start, Cynai Thomas has a similar connection to Oregon State - and his commitment is rock-solid.

“I’m committed to Oregon State,” he said. “It’s in my blood. It’s everything I worked for and that’s where I’m at.”

Going through the recruiting process, both Thomas brothers received their first offer from Oregon State.

The excitement and relief of that moment - after battling and training for years to get a scholarship offer - resonated with both young men.

First with Skyler, and then again with Cynai, who remembered how he felt as a little brother when his older brother got the offer from the Beavers.

“Skyler is an awesome human being,” he said. "If you look at his story. He works so hard and wasn’t given many chances. Oregon State gave him a chance. He’s not going to turn on somebody who took a chance when he was nothing, had nothing - no stars, no offers, nothing. That’s how I look at Oregon State. It’s a place where they gave me and my family a chance - they gave me my first offer - that’s what hit home when he was talking. It sucks to see them like this right now. But I’m not going to flip on a school that invested so much into me and my family.”

After leading the team in tackles as a junior, Skyler returned to Corvallis for his senior campaign.

It turns out, Cynai feels similarly about the importance of loyalty to a school that took a chance on him.

He has remained committed to the Beavers, despite more than 20 scholarship offers, highlighted by Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Boise State, Iowa State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Utah, Washington and others.

And given that commitment, he hopes the program and its fans stick together. 

“The only way to go from the bottom to the top is to take it one week at time,” Thomas said. “There’s six more games left and I believe we could win out and make a bowl game. It’s possible. Go 1-0 every week and take it one day at a time. Focus on what’s most important - playing for each other, playing hard and playing for Beaver Nation.”

This week during “jersey day” at school, he wore a custom Oregon State baseball jersey of his brother, Skyler, and sent the picture to the staff.

He admits the only thing that could really change his mind is a coaching change.

He’s loyal to Bray, and has grown quite close to a several coaches, including offensive coordinator Ryan Gunderson, wide receiver coach Pat McCann and the defensive back coaches, due to their relationship with his brother.

So, barring drastic changes at Oregon State - admittedly a possibility - his future lies in Corvallis.

And that journey will begin soon, as Thomas will graduate in December and enroll at Oregon State University in January.

There’s little question that times are tough in Corvallis, but there’s also hope.

Just look to the loyalty and passion of Skyler Thomas and the vision for the future that comes from his not-so-little 6-foot-3 brother.