KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Defensive lineman Cory Thomas of McAdory High School in McCalla, Ala., has verbally committed to sign with Tennessee, AL.com reported today.

“I’ve decided to go to Tennessee and rise to the top with the Tennessee Vols,” Thomas told the website.

Thomas announced his commitment on Twitter earlier Monday but almost immediately deleted his message, shown below in a screen capture. It’s not clear why the tweet was deleted.

Cory Thomas tweeted his commitment to UT, but later deleted it. A story on AL.com quotes him as saying he plans to sign with Tennessee.

Thomas, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive line prospect, also had offers from Mississippi State, Florida and Clemson, according to his 247 profile.

Thomas be the 31st publicly committed member of the Vols’ 2014 signing class.

UPDATE: Thomas formally committed to the Vols on a local Birmingham television station Monday night. The deleted tweet was, presumably, trying to save the news for his televised announcement.