Carlos Thomas Class: Senior Hometown: College Park, Ga. High School: Banneker Height / Weight: 5-11 / 197 Position: CB Experience: 3 VL

Senior defensive back who has made 20 career starts, the fourth-highest total on the squad entering the 2008 campaign... penciled in as the probable starter at one of the cornerback slots again this fall... has good coverage skills and has become a better performer with added experience... has worked on his tackling skills and becoming more physical... originally used as a wide receiver and a kickoff returner during his freshman season at Carolina... regarded as one of the fastest Gamecocks, clocking a 4.37 40-yard dash... has three career interceptions.

2007: Played in 11-of-12 games, missing the North Carolina game after suffering a neck injury in practice the week leading up to that contest... made seven starts... logged 17 tackles on the season, 16 of which were solo stops... did not intercept a pass but credited with six pass breakups, second on the squad... had a season-high five tackles against Tennessee... also had a season-high five tackles against the Volunteers in 2006... shared the Most Improved Cornerback honors in the spring with Stoney Woodson.

2006: Made the transition to defense full-time in the spring after spending most of the 2005 season at wide receiver... played in all 13 games, making 10 starts... credited with 27 tackles, including 24 solo stops... had a season-high five tackles against Tennessee and four stops against Clemson... recorded two interceptions... picked off passes at Vanderbilt and against Arkansas... also used as a kickoff returner... led the team with 15 kick returns for 284 yards, an average of 18.9 yards per return... returned a kickoff 51 yards against Florida Atlantic.

2005: Versatile athlete who was used at wide receiver, cornerback and on kickoff returns in his true freshman campaign... caught nine passes for 73 yards, rushed three times for 53 yards, returned 21 kickoffs for 502 yards and intercepted a pass... started three times, getting the nod against Georgia, Alabama and Kentucky... played both ways against the Bulldogs, starting at wide receiver and working in the defensive secondary... intercepted a D.J. Shockley pass in the endzone late in the first half, preserving USC's 9-7 halftime advantage... earned SEC Freshman of the Week accolades for his efforts against the Bulldogs... had a season-high 79-yard kick return against Troy and had a 44-yard return in the bowl game against Missouri... caught a season-high four passes against Kentucky... suffered a concussion while returning a kickoff against Tennessee and was held out of the Arkansas game.

HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Banneker High School in College Park, Ga., in 2005... played for Coach Benny Crane... named first-team All-State in 2004 and played in the Georgia High School All-Star game... finished his senior season with over 1,000 total yards and nine touchdowns receiving and rushing... also had over 30 tackles and four interceptions as a senior... had 20 catches for 411 yards and five touchdowns as a junior... rated the eighth-best player in the state of Georgia by SuperPrep... rated the ninth-best wide receiver in the nation by PrepStar... regarded as the 28th-best player in the southeast and the 108th-best player in the country by Tom Lemming... was known also as an exceptional baseball player... batted .627 as a sophomore playing second base and center field.

PERSONAL: Carlos Thomas was born May 1, 1987... is pursuing a degree in African-American studies... brother is Levon Thomas, who has played wide receiver in the NFL.