Virginia Tech Lands Commitment of 2021 Georgia Running Back Malachi Thomas

Virginia Tech has continued a hot month of July on the recruiting trail with another commitment, this time from Georgia running back Malachi Thomas.

Thomas, who is currently unrated by 247Sports, committed to the Hokies over Duke, UCF, and Kansas State. He is the fourth commitment of the month for Justin Fuente and his staff, joining 4-star California defensive back DJ Harvey, 3-star Virginia linebacker Isi Etute, and 3-star Tennessee wide receiver Tray Curry.

While Thomas is unranked by 247Sports, he has compiled quite the stat line at Hart County High School in Georgia. As a junior last season, Thomas rushed for 1,942 yards, while also compiling 638 receiving yards and 282 return yards on special teams. In total, Thomas recorded 2,862 all-purpose yards and 36 touchdowns a year ago.

Thomas is a bit of a late bloomer, so I'd expect a 3-star ranking by 247Sports before he officially signs on the dotted line for Virginia Tech as part of the 2021 recruiting class.

The 6'0", 180 lbs. Thomas is an intriguing find for the Hokies due to his proven ability as an all-purpose back. Given how Virginia Tech runs its offense under Brad Cornelsen, Thomas could find his way onto the field in several different capacities in the future. He could certainly factor into the fold as a traditional dual-threat running back, but could also line up in the slot and figure into one of the receiving positions given his soft hands and run-after-the-catch ability.

While this commitment won't grab headlines, Thomas has plenty of upside and could turn into a reliable contributor to the offense in the future. He's a perfect fit for the offensive system in Blacksburg.