Being a highly-ranked TSSAA football recruit isn't always glamorous.
The power conference offers and star ratings come with an increased level of scrutiny. Catholic receiver David Thomasfelt the eyeballs on him against Anderson County (0-2) as a ball slipped through his hand.
"Obviously, everbody saw me drop the first ball," Thomas told Knox News on Aug. 27. "But, goldfish memory. Just have to keep a short memory and keep playing."
The four-star receiver, ranked as the state's No. 14 prospect in the 2028 class according to 247Sports Composite, moved on quickly and caught one of many Irish touchdowns as host Catholic (2-0) defeated the Mavericks, 42-21.
Thomas caught two balls for 37 yards and a touchdown. Add it to his statline from Catholic's 2026
season-opening win over Riverdale, where he had seven catches for 115 yards and two scores, including the game-winner.
The transfer from Stillwater (Oklahoma) holds offers from Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Iowa State, among others. He's had about a month to download the Irish's offensive scheme.
It's working out pretty well.
"Consistency," said Catholic coach Philip Shadowens about Thomas. "David is just consistent. David is going to be David every play. He's going to run good routes, be fast, and make plays for you."
Bringing Thomas up to speed is a fellow four-star recruit in the Class of 2028, Braylen Gibbs. The Alabama commit doubles as the team's lockdown cornerback and one of the top receivers on the roster.
"Great bump in practice," Thomas said about Gibbs. "Iron sharpens iron every day. We love it."
Gibbs, who caught a 73-yard touchdown in the win, also feels the pressure of a top prospect. He's the No. 15 recruit in the state.
"It's a lot," he said about playing both ways. "It's a lot on me, I know it's a lot of eyes on me. I just get my job done and do what I'm supposed to do."
Senior quarterback Mack Bartholomew had no trouble finding his top targets. He finished with 150 yards and three touchdowns on 10-of-14 passing, along with five carries for 112 yards and a 49-yard touchdown run.
"His confidence has gone to another level," Shadowens said. "I think he's more comfortable now than he's ever been. You can tell by his play."
Catholic has already completed 20% of its season. The Irish are capped at 10 regular season games dueto a self-imposed ban from the 2026 TSSAA football playoffs. Thomas plans to treat every game like it's the postseason.
"We can't go be state champs, but we've got 10 playoff games this year," he said, "so I think we can do a lot of special things."
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How Catholic's 4-star duo David Thomas, Braylen Gibbs handle being top recruits
