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West Virginia gets a major surprise today with the commitment of linebacker James Thomas of Mitchell County High School in Baconton, Georgia.

Thomas chose West Virginia over Tennessee and South Carolina and also had offers from the likes of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Michigan, USF and a few others.

"West Virginia made my top three initially when I came on my visit to the university. The school was eye catching and the education they have there is great," Thomas tells Mountaineer Maven.

Thomas has good closing speed and can be a big help in stopping the run. He plays with aggression and does not shy away from making the big hit across the middle. Thomas plays quarterback, so that helps him understand how to read things on the defensive side and identify where the quarterback is wanting to go with the ball.

Outside of Dylan Tonkery and Josh Chandler, West Virginia has little to no experience at the linebacker position. Getting a guy like Thomas is huge for the Mountaineers, although he likely won't play a major role in 2020, he should still see the field in some capacity. 

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