Prep star Thomas commits to Maryland

Johnathan Thomas, a junior at St. John’s Prep and Item Offensive Player of the Year, has committed to Maryland.”This is great news for him,” St. John’s head coach Jim O’Leary said on Thursday. “We’re very excited for him. He’s a very quiet, bright young man and he’s worked hard. He’s both academically and athletically talented.”Thomas accumulated about 1,800 rushing yards last year and played for a Catholic Conference and Division 1 Super Bowl champion. The Prep defeated Andover in the playoffs before upending Brockton in the title game.Maryland underwent some difficulties last season, going 4-8 (2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) under second-year head coach Randy Edsall. That included a close 20-17 loss to BC at Alumni Stadium on Oct. 27.Yet it sounded like there were enough positives in the program for Thomas to choose Maryland.”(Thomas) had a list of schools he wanted to look at, and he felt good about Maryland from the first time he visited there,” O’Leary said. “I think in the end, it came down to Arkansas, BC or Maryland, and he made a choice.”There are now three Prep Item all-stars who have committed to schools. In addition to Thomas, Alex Moore is attending the University of Pennsylvania and Lucas Bavaro is going to Dartmouth.O’Leary sounded happy for Thomas – happy for his future, and also pleased that the recruiting process is over.”This will take some of the pressure off him, but I have to tell you, he responds to pressure pretty good,” O’Leary said. “He doesn’t get rattled. The only pressure, really, is the pressure schools were putting on him. The process has escalated. It’s crazy.”Rich Tenorio can be reached at [email protected].