Corey Thomas Jr., Akron Transfer, Commits To Virginia Football

By: Kris Wright |

With the transfer portal window open, the Virginia football team picked up a commitment at a position of need on Monday. Akron linebacker Corey Thomas Jr. made the call for the Cavaliers after entering the portal at the start of the transfer period.

He announced his choice on social media.

Thomas comes to Virginia after five seasons with the Zips. He played in 3 games in 2019 and redshirted. In 2020 with the eligibility counter frozen, he played in 4 games. Over the next three seasons, however, Thomas saw his role increase as he appeared in 32 games. For his full Akron career, Thomas compiled 105 tackles, 6 passes defended with 1 interception, and 3 fumble recoveries.

This past season proved his most productive. Thomas made 51 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss. He also logged 3 passes defended and 1 fumble recovery.

Listed as an outside linebacker for Akron, he lined up all over the field frequently. That makes him an ideal candidate for defensive coordinator John Rudzinski’s scheme, which uses a hybrid linebacker/safety role frequently among the positions. The Cavaliers lost Lex Long to the transfer portal after he worked in this type of spot during the 2023 offseason and preseason before an injury ended his season. This is an experienced replacement to compete for a spot on the two deep.

Thomas could function well as a player that can play in the box with speed. He is listed at 6’4″, 215 pounds on the Zips’ roster. He decisively puts a foot in the ground and pursues the ball. He drives through his tackles and does not shy away from contact.

Check out highlights for Thomas here. He entered college as a 3-star recruit out of Pennsylvania’s Penn Hills High School where he played safety, wide receiver, cornerback, and linebacker.