Duke Offers Versatile 2021 Running Back Malachi Thomas
Duke has commitments from four skill position players in the class of 2021, including a pair of quarterbacks and two wide receivers. The Blue Devils are still looking to add help at the running back position, however.
Duke took a step toward that goal, offering ball carrier Malachi Thomas of Hartwell, Georgia’s Hart County High.
The six-foot, 180-pounder has not been rated by many of the major recruiting services, and Power Five teams are just now taking more of an interest in him. While he has more than a dozen offers from programs such as East Carolina and Appalachian State, his list of Power Five offers include Kansas State and Virginia Tech, in addition to the Blue Devils.
Prior to Duke getting involved, Thomas released a list of 10 finalists that included Tech, Kansas State, ECU and App, as well as Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, UCF and Western Kentucky.
Thomas has certainly done enough on the field to merit attention from top programs. Last season, playing both ways for Hart County, he won the Offensive Player of the Year Award for his region, rushing for 1,942 yards and adding 638 yards receiving and 282 return yards, scoring 36 touchdowns. On defense, he had two sacks, two tackles for loss and an interception. Thomas was chosen for the Georgia Junior Bowl all-star showcase, where he scored on a 37-yard catch.
Duke has offered close to 20 backs in the class, although, in addition to Thomas, just a half dozen are still uncommitted. Thomas plans to announce his college commitment in August.
