Former Georgia receiver RaRa Thomas signs with Troy
Published 4:55 pm Wednesday, March 26, 2025
- Former Georgia receiver RaRa Thomas is transferring to Troy. (University of Georgia Athletics)
On Wednesday, former Georgia receiver Rodarius “RaRa” Thomas, a Eufaula native, signed with Troy University to continue his football career.
Thomas was a two-time All-State receiver at Eufaula High School, catching 55 passes for 945 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior in 2020. He was rated as a three-star prospect coming out of high school and considered one of the best recruits in the State of Alabama. He signed with Mississippi State out of high school.
Thomas was a star receiver at Mississippi State before transferring to Georgia. (Mississippi State Athletics)
As a true freshman, Thomas caught 18 passes for 252 yards and one touchdown but exploded in 2022 to catch 44 passes for 626 yards and seven scores. After the 2022 season, the 6-foot-2-inch, 200-pound receiver transferred to Georgia and caught 23 passes for 393 yards and one touchdown in 2023. That’s when things took a turn for the Barbour County native.
In the summer of 2024, Thomas was arrested on multiple counts of “family violence” charges, which ultimately led Georgia head coach Kirby Smart to dismiss him from the team. Thomas sat out the entire 2024 season but in December his attorney revealed that his charges had been “resolved” and he was entering the transfer portal.
According to his attorney, Kim Stephens, all felony and “family violence” charges were dismissed and Thomas entered an Alford plea on two counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct. The Alford plea allowed Thomas to end the case without admitting any wrongdoing and he was sentenced to 24 months of probation under Georgia’s First Offender Act.
A pair of Troy connections played into Troy’s decision to accept Thomas on the football team, according to a statement released by Troy University Athletics.
“After a thorough investigation of the incidents and a legal review of facts, we have made the decision to accept RaRa Thomas to the Troy Football program,” the statement read. “The process included speaking directly with RaRa Thomas, officials at the University of Georgia, his high school coach Ed Rigby, his mentor Jerrell Jernigan and others involved in RaRa’s life. We are confident in the detailed plan that has been laid out for him to be successful in life and on the field as a Troy Trojan.”
Rigby was his head coach at Eufaula and is the wife of Troy Women’s Basketball Coach Chanda Rigby. Jernigan not only played at Troy but was an assistant coach at Eufaula when Thomas played there and is Eufaula’s current head coach.
Thomas is expected to arrive on campus during the offseason but will not be a part of spring practices. He will have on year of eligibility left.
