Corey Thornton

Early life

Thornton is from Miami, Florida. He attended Booker T. Washington Senior High School in Miami where he played football, helping them win the state 4A championship in 2019. A three-star recruit, he committed to play college football for the UCF Knights.

As a freshman at UCF in 2020, Thornton started all 10 games at cornerback and recorded 30 tackles and an interception. He then appeared in 12 games, recording 32 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and six pass breakups in 2021. In 2022, he played in 14 games and finished with 50 tackles and a team-leading seven pass breakups; he was named third-team All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) by Pro Football Focus (PFF) both years. He then totaled 27 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass breakups during the 2023 season, before announcing a transfer to the Louisville Cardinals for his final year in 2024. With the Cardinals, Thornton started 13 games and made 38 tackles, two interceptions and nine pass breakups, being named honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In 60 games played at UCF and Louisville, he finished with 177 tackles, six interceptions and 33 pass breakups. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he was invited to the East–West Shrine Bowl.