Boise State’s lone commitment in the class of 2028 just took a look at another option.
Willamette High School quarterback Zeke Thomas, a three-star recruit from Oregon, made the short trip from Eugene to Corvallis this weekend for an official baseball visit at Oregon State, according to Steve Wiltfong of On3 on Saturday. The Beavers are also hosting No. 13 Texas Tech in a non-conference football game at Reser Stadium.
Thomas, listed at 6-foot and 195 pounds, is Boise State’s only commitment so far in that class. He’s still sorting through his choices, and Oregon State is very much in the mix. Boise State and Oregon State now share conference ties in the rebuilt Pac-12.
On3 ranks Thomas as the nation’s No. 49 quarterback and the No. 2 overall prospect in Oregon for the class of 2028. He reportedly holds offers from Boise State, Idaho, Oregon State and Sacramento State.
The two-sport angle is a big part of the picture. Baseball Northwest has Thomas as the top baseball recruit in Oregon in his class, and he works both as a pitcher and an outfielder. Oregon State’s baseball program has long been one of the sport’s heavy hitters, and the school has also produced crossover names like Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman and former NFL safety Jordan Poyer.
Thomas already put together a huge sophomore football season at Willamette. He completed 166 of 252 passes for 2,652 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while also rushing for 370 yards and three scores. That helped lead Willamette to a 10-1 record and the 6A South-Central Conference title.
The Wolverines then advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 6A state playoffs.
This fall, Willamette has opened 1-2, with losses to 6A contender Lake Oswego and 5A title favorite Silverton, plus a win over perennial 6A power Sherwood.
Willamette’s roster also includes two Division I-bound seniors: three-star linebacker Kawai Chamberlin, who is committed to Oregon State, and lineman Tripp Johansen, who is headed to Montana State.
Boise State’s quarterback pipeline for the future already includes class of 2027 commit Kael Snyder of Arizona’s Perry High School. Snyder, a three-star prospect, is ranked by On3 as the No. 38 quarterback in the country and the No. 9 overall recruit in Arizona for the class of 2027. He picked the Broncos and head coach Spencer Danielson last October over reported offers from Arizona State, Iowa, Iowa State and Washington, among others.
The Broncos also signed two three-star quarterbacks in the last cycle, Cash Herrera of The Bishop’s School in California and Jackson Taylor of Thousand Oaks, California.
Looking ahead, Boise State is set to bring back Herrera, Taylor and backup Max Cutforth next season, while three-year starter Maddux Madsen is set to graduate.
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Oregon State Faces One Massive Test Against No. 13 Texas Tech
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The challenge only grows when Texas Tech starts leaning on its receivers, a group that brings plenty of playmaking to the field and can stretch a defense in a hurry. For Oregon State, the spotlight falls just as much on its own defense and offensive line as it does on the quarterback, because those are the areas most likely to decide whether the Beavers can keep this one from getting away from them. The early signs at Houston were encouraging, but this is a test built on details, and the Beavers still have to show they can carry those improvements into a bigger stage. [Read more 🡒]