Da'shawn Thomas

Thomas was signed as a free agent by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League on February 29, 2008, and placed on the practice roster for the 2008 Toronto Argonauts season. He re-signed with the Argos on January 19, 2009, but was released at the end of training camp.^[1][2]

In an unusual move, Thomas, who had never attended university and only a few days of a junior college in Kansas, registered with the University of Western Ontario to play for the Western Ontario Mustangs in the 2009 CIS football season. The National Collegiate Athletic Association does not permit an athlete with any professional sports experience to play on a college team. However, since CIS football typically discounts one year for every year of professional experience, it was the only opportunity for Thomas to prepare for the 2010 NFL draft. Former Mustang Vaughn Martin was drafted in the 2009 NFL draft and former Mustangs receiver and Argonaut Tyler Scott and former Argonauts coach Rich Stubler recommended Thomas to Mustangs coach Greg Marshall.^[3][4]