MM 8.1: Three-star class of 2023 cornerback Kevis Thomas commits to Maryland football

This is the Maryland Minute, a short story followed by a roundup of Terps-related news.

Three-star class of 2023 cornerback Kevis Thomas announced his commitment to Maryland football on his personal Twitter account Sunday.

Thomas — a Valdosta, Georgia native — originally committed to Vanderbilt, but reopened his recruitment just over a month ago and took an official visit to College Park in mid-June. He is ranked as the 59th-best cornerback nationally and 57th-best player in the state of Georgia by the 247Sports Composite. As a three-star recruit with a composite score of 0.8744, Thomas is currently the highest-rated of head coach Michael Locksley’s 19 verbal commits in the class of 2023. His pledge moves the Terps’ class into the top 40 nationally.

In 2020, Thomas played quarterback at Taylor County High School in Perry, Florida, before relocating to Georgia to play for Valdosta’s Lowndes High School. There, he made the transition to primarily play defensive back and thrived, making 25 tackles and adding an interception — plus a kick return touchdown — in 2021 en route to Second Team All-Region honors.

Thomas is listed at six-foot, 179 pounds, and he is Maryland’s third defensive back commitment in the class of 2023, joining Tayvon Nelson and Jonathan Akins. He would become the first player from the state of Georgia to sign with the Terps out of high school since Treron Collins and Erwin Byrd in 2019.

In other news

A pair of Maryland basketball legends — Len Elmore and Christy Winters-Scott — were inducted into the DC Sports Hall of Fame.

Maryland football defensive back Tarheeb Still was named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch List. The honor is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football.

Maryland men’s lacrosse was awarded the Terrapin Cup Team of the Year award after a historic, undefeated run to the 2022 national championship.

Seven Maryland men’s lacrosse alumni were invited to USA Lacrosse Training Camp.

Six incoming Maryland women’s lacrosse players played in the Under Armour All-American Game over the weekend.

Terps volleyball’s Rainelle Jones reflected on her trip to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama as a part of the Big Ten’s “Big Life Series” trip.

Incoming freshman Caelum Swanton-Rodger displayed his post moves at one of Maryland men’s basketball’s summer practices.

Maryland baseball shortstop Matt Shaw was named as one of D1Baseball’s top-30 college prospects for the 2023 MLB Draft.

Former Terp Chigoziem Okonkwo has impressed at training camp with the Tennessee Titans.