Former Lee star Thomas right at home for youth football camp

Former Robert E. Lee High School star and current member of the Jacksonville Jaguars Daniel Thomas returned home to hold his first football camp on Saturday. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

Several might have looked for a flashier location for their first youth football camp. But Jacksonville Jaguars safety Daniel Thomas felt right at home at Capitol Heights Middle School on Saturday morning.  

It was home.

“This is where I started at,” Thomas said. “This was my middle school. I just wanted to come and inspire the kids.”

The former Robert E. Lee High and Auburn University standout had no idea what to expect when he showed up to put on a free three-hour football clinic. A little more than 20 participants bothered to pre-register for the event, but approximately 120 were there to participate in fundamental drills, listen to some advice from Thomas’ instructors and finish off the morning with games. 

“It exceeded my expectations,” Thomas said. “To see that, I’m excited to see what next year is going to be like.”

At the end of the camp, Thomas and his fellow instructors that included former Auburn teammate Marlon Davidson handed out footballs that were signed by all the instructors to the top performers in the camp. Then the participants were treated to a Smoothie King, followed by a free lunch. 

He plans to make the camp an annual event, an opportunity to give back to the youth in Montgomery. That’s something that means a lot to Thomas. 

“It’s very big,” he said. “The kids don’t get a chance to see NFL players every day, so being able to be around an NFL player, they know that if I did it, they can do it, too.”