Here is the full quote: “I can tell you this much, if the University of Iowa offers you a scholarship and you commit to us, we intend to sign you and we intend to take your commitment. I think you have to look no further than in-state to see there were a lot of offers that went out in the 2018 class very early out of Ames. And I’m not sure all of those guys were able to commit to them if they wanted to, because some of those guys have since gone other places.”
He is specifically referencing the recruitment of Cedar Rapids OL Andrew Todd, without specifically mentioning him of course. Todd was offered by ISU but committed to Miami (OH). Allegedly the offer from ISU was not really an offer and why Todd committed to the Red Hawks and not the Cyclones.
The case with wanting Thomas to visit before he commits protects Thomas as much as it does Iowa. If he is committed to Iowa, some schools might not recruit him leaving him with possibly less options. What if he ends up coming up to Iowa City and not liking it? Iowa is still recruiting Thomas. Iowa will take his commitment, probably on his upcoming visit. Iowa intends to sign Thomas. Iowa just want to make sure both sides have done their homework before sealing the deal.
People can spin it as contradictory and hypocritical but if you take the quote in context, or the spirit of the quote as you said, there is nothing contradictory or hypocritical about it.