Amid the start of the 2024 college football season, Georgia’s roster has taken a hit at the wide receiver position. On Friday, it was announced that wide receiver Rara Thomas was arrested. The event occurred July 26th, Thomas was arrested for three counts of Cruelty to Children in the 2nd Degree, and three counts of Battery – FV. Thomas has now been suspended from the program indefinitely following the arrest, according to a team source.
According to the Athens-Clarke County arrest records, there has been no bail set at this time. Further details regarding the incident have not yet been provided. University of Georgia’s Associate Athletic Director for strategic communications, Steven Drummond provided a brief statement.
“This is a pending legal matter. We will have no further comment at this point.”Said Drummond.
This is not Thomas’ first run-in with the law during his time in Athens. The wide receiver was arrested on charges of Family Violence and False imprisonment back in January of 2023. However, those charges would eventually be dropped and Thomas suffered no legal punishment.
A former 4-star recruit from Eufaula, Alabama, Thomas joined the Bulldogs ahead of the 2023 season by way of the transfer portal and was a major contributor to his former team, the Mississippi State Bulldogs. During his 2023 campaign with the Dawgs, Thomas appeared in 11 games where he accounted for 383 receiving yards on 23 catches and a touchdown. The wide receiver was expected to contribute even more to the Bulldogs’ offense in the 2024 season.
Thomas’ arrest comes less than a week before the Bulldogs are set to begin their fall camp for the 2024 college football season. The Dawgs’ 2024 season has been tabbed by many as one of the hardest Georgia schedules of all time, as the Dawgs will play multiple top-10 teams on the road. Practices for fall camp will begin Thursday, August 1st.
Georgia’s first game of the 2024 season will be held in Atlanta against the Clemson Tigers. This will be the Bulldogs’ first matchup with the Tigers since the season opener of the 2021 season where Georgia won a defensive battle 10-3. The Bulldogs would eventually go on to win their first national title in 41 years and have not lost a regular season game during that time. They will do so without Thomas as the investigation continues on the matter.