Azende Rey, Juanyeh Thomas’ older brother, transferring to Georgia Tech

Azende Rey (No. 3) in a game for Florida A&M. Rey, the older brother of Georgia Tech safety Juanyeh Thomas, announced his decision to transfer to Tech on July 30, 2021. (Florida A&M Athletics)

Azende Rey (No. 3) in a game for Florida A&M. Rey, the older brother of Georgia Tech safety Juanyeh Thomas, announced his decision to transfer to Tech on July 30, 2021. (Florida A&M Athletics)

Georgia Tech safety Juanyeh Thomas and his brother Azende Rey talked, laughed and prayed about it. And now, it has finally come to pass. Thomas and his older brother, previously a wide receiver at Florida A&M, will be Yellow Jackets teammates this fall as Rey has joined the roster as a graduate transfer.

“I’m very excited,” Rey told the AJC on Saturday, after he announced his decision from his Twitter account Friday evening. “Me and him have been talking about it for a long time. We’ve spoken it into existence.”

Rey played three seasons at Florida A&M, one at running back and then two at wide receiver. In June, he said, he put his name into the transfer portal. He last played in 2019, when he caught 30 passes for 304 yards and five touchdowns. The Rattlers did not play this past academic year, opting out because of COVID-19.

Rey said that leaving Florida A&M was best for his future.

“I just feel like it was my time to leave,” he said. “I did what I could, left it on the field. I hope they would be appreciative of me like I would be of them.”

Rey said that while he heard from other schools after going in the portal, Tech was his preferred destination. Rey graduated from Florida A&M in 2020 with a degree in criminal justice. He had been there several times to visit his brother and had seen his enjoyment at Tech.

“That’s one of the main reasons, because I want to play with my brother,” Rey said. “I see how happy he is, how happy (players) are in the program.”

He was relieved when his interest was reciprocated by Tech, saying that “I felt the love” from the Jackets coaching staff.

“I was just hoping that them looking at my stats and just looking at what I’ve accomplished at FAMU, that that would put me in because I’m a playmaker,” Rey said.

Rey said that Tech coaches have labeled him as an athlete and will figure out his role. Besides receiver and running back, Rey also returned kickoffs and punts for the Rattlers.

“I think (moving up from FCS to FBS) is just adjusting to bigger guys,” he said. “But other than that, it’s really no different. I carry myself professionally and I prepare myself. It’s really nothing to me.”

Thomas and Rey played together for two seasons at Walton High in DeFuniak Springs, Fla. Their reunion is no small joy for their mother, Stephanie Thomas, who described herself as “over the moon.”

“It’s always been the dream and goal to get back together,” she said. “This was it right here. I am so thankful to Georgia Tech, coach (Geoff) Collins, academic staff and everything. It wasn’t an easy squeeze (to be admitted). He didn’t get there because Juanyeh was his brother.”

Tech is in the midst of a recruiting battle for Stephanie Thomas’ third son, Azareyeh, who is a four-star safety and has Tech, Florida and LSU in his final three. Rey said that his coming to Tech is unrelated to his brother’s recruitment.

“At the end of the day, we’re all honest, we’re all blunt,” Rey said. “He will choose the school he wants to go to.”