Rara Thomas, Georgia: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Thomas was a three-star recruit from Eufaula High School in Eufaula, Ala. in the class of 2021

Good morning from the West Coast! I’m away on a work trip so some posts might be delayed this week, but let’s get into Rara Thomas. The Georgia wide receiver is a field-stretching threat with the size to dominate opponents at the catch point. He projects as a Day 3 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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Rara Thomas, WR Georgia: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Senior wide receiver from Eufaula, Ala.

Background: Thomas was a three-star recruit from Eufaula High School in Eufaula, Ala. in the class of 2021. He was the No. 755 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 793 for On3.com. Thomas was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked recruit for ESPN with no star rating or grade out of 100. He originally committed to South Carolina before flipping to Mississippi State. Thomas transferred from Mississippi State to Georgia for the 2023 season. The Alabama native started playing football as a high school junior. That first season, he amassed 45 receptions for 957 yards and 14 touchdowns while returning a handful of punts. As a senior, Thomas totaled 55 receptions for 945 yards and 13 touchdowns while punting 15 times for 435 yards and pinning three punts in the opponent’s 20-yard line. He also played basketball for Eufaula. Thomas was born on July 28, 2002.

Injuries & Off-Field: Didn’t appear in Illinois game in 2022, felony charges for misdemeanor battery-family violence and false imprisonment were dismissed in spring of 2023 after completing a pretrial diversion program, suffered a bone bruise in his foot vs. Tennessee and missed the final three games of 2023

Awards: N/A

Pros: Arm length checks boxes, well-developed upper frame, good acceleration off the line, long-strider who eats up ground quickly, doesn’t mind mid-route contact, quick stop on short to intermediate comebacks generate separation, vertical push creates large spacing underneath on clear out routes, downfield route fakes twist defenders on vertical routes, body control and timing on back shoulder fades, cleaned up drops in 2023, large catch radius, natural hands catcher who extends to meet the ball, high points and rises to meet the ball, Mossed Maxwell Hairston for a TD (2023), red zone fade threat, flashes of ball dominance at the catch point in 2022 and 2023, size helps him contend as a blocker

Cons: Limited special teams experience, limited slot experience, likely under listed height (6'2"), six drops in 2022, limited hip sink and flexibility at the stem’s peak, too many steps to decelerate on deep comebacks and curls, defenders quickly crowd his in-breaking routes, speed doesn’t pop on crossers, struggled to find any kind of vertical separation vs. Missouri (2023), didn’t handle Kris Abrams-Draine’s physicality at the catch point well (2023), assertiveness at the catch point comes and goes, concentration drops, lacks power to muscle through wrap-up tackles, not an elusive YAC threat

Overview: Thomas is likely shorter than his listed height, but he plays like a big, field-stretching X. He has long arms and a well-developed upper frame to help outclass leaner defenders. Thomas showcases good acceleration off the line and uses his long strides to quickly cover ground and pick up speed. He doesn’t fear mid-route contact or defenders attempting to re-route him because he often possesses the strength advantage. Georgia deploys the Mississippi State transfer as a field-stretching threat, but he primarily creates space underneath for fellow receivers when working vertically. Most of his best wins come on short to intermediate curl routes because of his ability to decelerate, separate, and get his chest facing toward the quarterback quickly. This same separation doesn’t always extend to deep comeback routes as Thomas sometimes takes too many steps to snap these routes off and fails to sink his hips. The senior creates plenty of space for his teammates on clear out routes, but he doesn’t generate vertical separation consistently against NFL-caliber cornerbacks. He struggled to win downfield against teams like Missouri (2023). Thomas has the route fakes to spin defenders around when isolated against off-man or deep zone defensive backs. The Alabama native’s in-breaking routes are quickly smothered by corners, and he doesn’t generate open targets on crossers consistently. Thomas dropped six passes in 2022 but cleaned up most of those concentration issues in 2023. He plays with excellent body control and timing on back shoulder fades and maximizes his large catch radius by extending to high point and meet the ball. Thomas has flashes of elite contested catches against future NFL players like Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston (2023), but his assertiveness at the catch point comes and goes. Thomas won a contested catch against Missouri’s Kris Abrams-Draine in 2023, but KAD’s physicality disrupted two potential receptions later in the game. The soon-to-be 22-year-old receiver was more imposing at the catch point in 2022 than 2023 but still offers value as a red zone fade threat. Thomas isn’t elusive after the catch and doesn’t have enough power to break wrap-up tackles. His size gives him an advantage blocking corners. Thomas lacks experience operating in the slot and hasn’t taken many snaps on special teams.

Overall, Thomas offers some value as a height/weight/speed receiver, but he wins in a limited fashion and is an inconsistent contributor against top-level competition. Thomas needs a breakout season to jump up draft boards or he could end up sliding into late Day 3 like Michigan’s Cornelius Johnson this past draft.

Role & Scheme Fit: Field-stretching X or Z receiver

Round Grade: Sixth Round

Size: 6'2", 200 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 06-09-24