Briarcrest alums Jabari Small, Omari Thomas reflect on relationship, Tennessee football season

From high school teammates to college roommates at Tennessee football, former Vols running back Jabari Small and current graduate defensive lineman Omari Thomas have been together every step of the way.

With Small preparing for training camp with the Tennessee Titans, which opens July 23, and Thomas fresh off SEC Media Days, the two found time to give back on Friday at a free youth football camp at their alma mater, Briarcrest Christian School.

The camp allowed them to reconnect and reflect.

"It was amazing, man, our relationship as roommates from the first day we got (to Knoxville) until the day he left," Thomas said. "We were always helping each other learn things being on different sides of the ball. We always push each other to be the best."

The two Memphis natives will be on different teams this season for the first time in nearly a decade. It's a bittersweet change.

"This will be my first year without Jabari on the team but I'm excited for that," Thomas said. "I know he'll be supporting me just like if he was there, so it'll be the same."

They had conversations after last season about their respective futures — both were interested in the NFL. Ultimately, their paths diverged.

"We didn't really try to sway each other because at that point, it's just doing what's best for you," Thomas said. "We had the (conversation) and it was sad, like, 'Dang, we got different outcomes,' but it changes nothing about our relationship."

Both Small and Thomas expressed gratitude for being able to play together for so long and contribute to the Vols' resurgence under coach Josh Heupel.

"We didn't want to go to some school where there were already people there, where the dynasty was already cemented," Small said. "To be a part of that rich tradition and great fan base, it was just an amazing experience that I'll cherish forever."

Small, Thomas weigh in on Tennessee football in 2024

Though Small isn't with the program anymore, he still has his eyes on the Vols and believes they can build on their 9-4 finish from a season ago.

"I think the sky is the limit for them this season, they have all the pieces," Small said. "They got a great front seven, talent on the back end. And that offense is a well-oiled machine."

After seeing quarterback Nico Iamaleava up close last year, Small is excited to watch his growth from afar and thinks the talented redshirt freshman is ready for the job as the starter.

"I think he's ready for the season," Small said. "He has every tool you could want in a quarterback."

For Thomas, he's looking to build on his 35-tackle season and enjoy his final season in Knoxville.

"I've just continued to work on my body, getting faster and stronger," he said. "(The defense) has continued to get closer. We know being able to play with chemistry will only make us better."

Reacting to the Vols' predicted seventh-place ranking in the SEC's preseason media poll, Thomas didn't love it but said he and the team aren't worried about it.

"We expect to be a good team from within," he said. "We don't necessarily get caught up in the rankings. We just need to be prepared every week to go 1-0."

Wendell Shepherd Jr. is the high school sports beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Wendell at wendell.shepherd@commercialappeal.com. Follow Wendell on X, formerly known as Twitter, @wendellsjr_.