Calvary Day's 4-star receiver Thomas Blackshear announces commitment to SEC school

Thomas Blackshear, the highly-recruited receiver out of Calvary Day, announced his commitment to play at the University of Georgia on Sunday afternoon.

The 6-foot-1, 197-pound four-star prospect will be a senior in the fall at Calvary Day. He made his commitment with a post on X.

In January, Blackshear had announced his Top Three teams as Georgia, Florida State and Tennessee. He played his first two seasons at Benedictine and had Luke Kromenhoek, now at FSU, as a quarterback, before transferring to Calvary, where he played with quarterback Jake Merklinger, now at Tennessee.

As a junior, Blackshear battled through injuries and had 27 catches for 551 yards with five touchdowns in eight games for the Cavaliers, who reached the Class 3A semifinals and finished with a record of 13-1.

As a sophomore at Benedictine, he was a key player on the Cadet's Class 4A state championship squad with 41 catches for 641 yards and 10 touchdowns.

"This is a great opportunity for Thomas at Georgia," Calvary Day Coach Mark Stroud said. "He's a very dynamic athlete who has all the tools to become a star at the next level. He has speed, strength, great ball skills and excellent body control. But I think what really sets him apart is his toughness. He's just a tough kid who loves to compete."

The reaction to the signing on social media was fast and furious as recruiting writers from around the country posted stories about Blackshear, who is the first receiver from the Class of 2025 to commit to Georgia.

And Georgia Coach Kirby Smart, who was tagged in the initial post on X, was quick to chime back in with a "Go Dawgs !!"

With Merklinger, a four-year starter behind center for the Cavs, now at Tennessee, it looks like sophomore quarterback James Mobley will be starting at quarterback next season for Calvary. Offensive coordinator Jason Cameron said that Blackshear, who developed into a team leader last season, will help ease that transition.

"Thomas is the kind of player who makes my job easier calling the plays, and he makes the quarterback's job easier too," Cameron said. "He has that ability to take a short throw or a busted play and turn it into a long gain or a touchdown.

"And his best trait as a player is that he is relentlessly competitive in everything he does, and he has that natural ability to make everyone around him better."

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Calvary Day receiver Thomas Blackshear announces commitment to Georgia