Transfer Portal Bio Blast: Kevis Thomas

The winter transfer portal window officially opened on Dec. 9. We’ve seen some heavy player movement in this free agency period. Teams are working rapidly to close these fast-paced recruitments.

Kentucky received a commitment from a cornerback for the first time during this free agency period on Saturday. Maryland defensive back Kevis Thomas is on the move after spending his first two seasons in the Big Ten.

The Wildcats officially announced the addition on Monday.

Welcome to #BBN, Kevis Thomas. pic.twitter.com/9zM7RR7EHN

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) December 23, 2024

KSR’s Bio Blast is taking a closer look at the latest cornerback to join the defense.

Former high 3-star recruit

Kevis Thomas began his high school career at Perry (Fla.) Perry County and originally played quarterback. But the class of 2023 prospect moved to Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes as a junior, and shifted to defense, while also playing some receiver over his last two seasons of high school football.

As this recruitment started to heat up for the high three-star recruit ranked outside of the top-500, Thomas committed to Vanderbilt in May of his junior year. However, the defensive back locked in official visits to see Maryland and Louisville in June. The cornerback would decommit from Vanderbilt just under two months after his original pledge and flip to Maryland.

Kentucky offered Thomas during his junior year, but the recruitment never went any farther than that.

A starter as a true sophomore

Kevis Thomas played 80 defensive snaps as a true freshman and played a season-high 30 snaps in Maryland’s Music City Bowl victory over Auburn. After playing six total games in year one, Thomas stepped into a more permanent role in 2024.

The cornerback earned his first career start in a Week 5 loss to Indiana. Thomas would play at least 30 defensive snaps in five more Big Ten games.

Thomas finished the season with 21 tackles and two pass breakups in 289 defensive snaps.

Luckett’s scouting notebook

Kentucky loses Maxwell Hairston off the roster but returns starter JQ Hardaway while DJ Waller Jr., Terhyon Nichols, and Nasir Addison each received some extended playing time. The Wildcats have double-digits scholarship players at the position, but this year’s portal activity tells us that the coaching staff is looking for some help now.

Kevis Thomas will be another cornerback added to that mix with some playing experience. This is my scouting write-up on the Big Ten transfer after watching some Maryland tape.

Kevis Thomas (5-11, 179) is a smaller defensive back who played field cornerback for Maryland in 2024. Physicality is an area that needs improvement both in tackling and at the top of routes in coverage. Gets stuck on wide receiver blocks right now. Can do a good job of running in phase in man and seems to have some top end speed. Shows competitiveness at the catchpoint. Does struggle to close space between receivers when the ball is in the air.

The transfer added some needed experience but must add some play strength. Will enter a heated competition for the CB2 role at Kentucky.