Coach | Notre Dame Getting A Good One In Cree Thomas

Jason Jewell understands the temptation to compare the two, but the Brophy Prep head coach who coached them both says 2025 Arizona cornerback Cree Thomas‍ and current Notre Dame cornerback Ben Morrison are different players.

“Obviously, he gets a lot of comparisons to Ben just because he's a defensive back from the same high school,” Jewell says of Thomas, the 2025 Arizona cornerback who announced his commitment to the Irish earlier this month.

“But they are different players. Cree, he's longer than Ben and has a longer frame to be a big, long, strong kid. Not quite there yet, but he's only a junior, so he’s got another year and a half to develop before he gets on campus there at South Bend.”

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Thomas chose the Irish over offers from schools like Arizona, Wisconsin, Oregon and many others. Thomas and Morrison didn’t play varsity together at Brophy, but there’s certainly a connection.

“Their time didn't quite overlap, but they do know each other, so obviously there is some familiarity there,” says Jewell. “Cree really highly considered Wisconsin as well and that was not a school that Ben was interested in. 

“But when it came down to it, it was just the education with the football is too much for him to pass up, which is probably the answer you get from a lot of recruits as well.”

Jewell says the Irish are getting a great player and an even better person.

“Obviously a special person first and foremost,” the coach says. “The tape says what it does about him as a player, but he is a fantastic kid from a fantastic family.”

Jewell notes Thomas has played safety and corner for the Broncos and was among the state’s leaders in interceptions (5) entering their state semifinal matchup against Red Mountain, where they fell 36-35. 

“I'm really lucky. We have a bunch of really good kids from the school, a bunch of like-minded parents. His dad's a college football coach and is very supportive, and Mom's great too. It starts at home and his dad coaches at a Christian university. I think the values that have been instilled and raised up with.”