Georgia WR Rara Thomas arrested on felony cruelty to children, misdemeanor battery charges Friday

Georgia wide receiver Rara Thomas was arrested on Friday morning on multiple charges, per Jake Rowe of DawgsHQ, including two counts of battery, which are both misdemeanors, and one count of cruelty to children, a felony.

“Georgia wideout Rara Thomas was arrested early Friday morning on two counts of battery, both misdemeanors, and one count of cruelty to children, a felony,” Rowe wrote. “All three of the charges carry a ‘family violence tag.’

“Thomas was arrested by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and is still incarcerated as he awaits a bond hearing. He was taken into custody and booked into the jail at 3:20 a.m. ET.”

The news regarding Thomas comes at a troubling time for Georgia. They’ve been in headlines for players running into trouble with the law much more than any team would like, with some of their most important team members dealing with off-field issues over the last couple of months.

Players like Smael Mondon and Bo Hughley were arrested and charged with reckless driving, while others like running back Trevor Etienne and receiver Sacovie White have also been arrested earlier this year, as well. Thomas is simply the latest to run into trouble following his arrest.

Last season, the wide receiver struggled at times to fit into the Bulldogs offense, but he still showed an ability to make a highlight reel play every now and then. All in all, Thomas caught 23 passes for 383 yards and a touchdown on the year. Additionally, he had three catches for 30 or more yards and two of 40-plus.

“Once I picked it up, I started being myself,” Thomas told DawgsHQ after the Orange Bowl back in January, regarding how he fit into Georgia’s offense in 2023. “When I didn’t know the offense, I was kind of frustrated. I didn’t know what to do. But once I got the hang of it, I started playing ball.”

Entering 2024, the wide receiver was expected to be a major part of Georgia’s offense in his second season, according to Rowe. “He was in position to be the Bulldogs’ starting X receiver, competing with Dillon Bell and Colbie Young, a transfer from Miami, for that job,” he reported.

Now, the future seems murky for Rara Thomas, and it remains to be seen how his situation, and the team’s overall affliction with the law, will be handled at Georgia, as the 2024 campaign gets underway in Athens.