“He always thanked me with a hug for having faith and trust in him,” McDaniels recalled to ESPN.
And since the NFL world learned Thursday evening of Thomas’ sudden death at his home in Roswell, Georgia, it has been difficult for McDaniels to look at it.
He recollects a trip he made to Atlanta with general manager Brian Xanders during the week of the draft as they were drawing near to decision time.
In Thomas’ case, his mother and grandmother were in prison, arrested when he was just 11 years old for their roles in a drug distribution ring.
“We spent the whole day with DT and he was such an intelligent, impressive young man, even with what happened with his mom and grandmother,” McDaniels recalled.
“I didn’t coach him his whole career, but he always stayed in contact.
Roswell, Georgia, police said Thursday night that Thomas was found dead in his home.
LaTonya Bonseigneur, a first cousin who grew up with Thomas, so close they considered themselves siblings, told The Associated Press that the family believes he died from a seizure.