Omari Thomas, 4-star DT from Briarcrest, commits to UT

[kwc]

Omari Thomas, a four-star defensive tackle from Briarcrest, commits to Tennessee football

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KHARI THOMPSON   | Memphis Commercial Appeal

   

Watch Omari Thomas announce commitment to UT

The state's No. 4 prospect is heading to Knoxville

 

Minutes before he announced his college commitment Monday, Omari Thomas was wiping away tears of joy as he was introduced by coach Brian Stewart in Briarcrest's Starks Chapel in front of friends, family and classmates. 

"After a lot of prayer, I have decided to further my academic and athletic career at the University of ..." Thomas began.

The word "Tennessee" never came. But it didn't have to, as "Rocky Top" blared over the chapel speakers accompanied by a graphic featuring Thomas in a bright orange jersey, signaling Thomas' commitment to the Vols. 

"I've grown closer with the coaches and built great relationships with them," Thomas said. "I looked at other programs and checked them out, and at other programs you have a lot of players that are in-state. So I decided why go somewhere else when I could go to Tennessee and help build the state and come in with a good recruiting class." 

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound senior is the No. 4 prospect in Tennessee and No. 8 defensive tackle in the nation for the Class of 2020, according to the 247Sports Composite. The four-star recruit was No. 2 on the inaugural Commercial Appeal Dandy Dozen. 

He also won this year's Tennessee Titans Division II-AAA Mr. Football award and is scheduled to play in the Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 4 in San Antonio. 

"(His strengths are) the ability he has to change direction, his hips, and his explosiveness. The way he can overpower somebody. And he's smart. He has a lot of gifts," Stewart said. 

Thomas played left tackle and defensive end for Briarcrest, which fell 35-33 to Ensworth in the Division II-AAA playoffs this season. He is the second-highest rated prospect in the Vols' 2020 recruiting class behind Ensworth's Keshawn Lawrence.

Thomas said that Tennessee primarily recruited him as a defensive tackle, but Stewart praised Thomas' versatility on the offensive and defensive lines. 

"He can play anywhere on defense, and anywhere on offense if they need him to. He's a defensive tackle," Stewart said. "That's what he wants to be. He wants to be (a) 'D' tackle or 'D' end on that front line somewhere. He's going to contribute where they need him the most. That's what he'll tell them. 'Where do you need me?'"

Thomas is the fourth prospect from Memphis to commit to the Vols, following Whitehaven linebackers Bryson Eason, Martavius French and Tamarion McDonald.

Thomas said that he's recruiting teammate Jabari Small, a three-star running back who recently decommitted from Ole Miss, to join the Vols. Small, whose top-three are Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M, is scheduled to announce his commitment Tuesday. 

"Yeah, it was a good day for me, but I'm spending this day recruiting him and trying to get him to pick UT tomorrow," Thomas said. "I'm going to try to work that out and see what happens."

 

   

[Booger]

appears Knoxvilles new HC from Tuscaloosa and his team is winning back the state in recruiting

Booger just sayin 

[kwc]

Why Briarcrest three-star RB Jabari Small flipped from Ole Miss to Tennessee Vols football

Khari Thompson | Commercial Appeal

 

Briarcrest running back Jabari Smallsaid he didn't feel comfortable with the coaching changes Ole Miss made when it fired Matt Luke following the Rebels season-ending loss in the Egg Bowl. Small decommitted from Ole Miss on Dec. 2, the day after Luke was fired. 

 

"It was just because of the coaching changes. I had a relationship with all those coaches and I didn’t feel comfortable there," Small said. 

Around the same time, the Tennessee Vols ramped up their recruiting efforts, ultimately landing a commitment from the three-star all-purpose back. Small picked the Vols over Ole Miss and Texas A&M

"They came out to my house and personally recruited me and my family. So I kind of made my mind up Sunday with Coach (Jeremy) Pruitt," Small said. 

The decision comes the day after teammate Omari Thomas announced his commitment to Tennessee.  Small said that although he and Thomas are friends, Thomas' announcement didn't have much of an impact on his decision to attend Tennessee. 

"It wasn’t as much of a big deal. It just so happens that we go to the same school. I was happy for him though," Small said. 

Small said that he's taken seven unofficial visits to Knoxville since his sophomore year and that he kept in contact with the Tennessee coaching staff throughout his recruitment. He said his official visit to Knoxville is scheduled for this weekend. 

The Vols have four scholarship running backs returning, including former Lausanne star Eric Gray. The Vols have a commitment from one other running back, Maryville's Tee Hodge.

Small is the No. 11 all-purpose back in the nation and the No. 20 overall prospect in the state for the Class of 2020 according to the 247Sports Composite. 

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound senior scored 26 rushing touchdowns this season, including four in the Saints' quarterfinal loss to Ensworth. He was a finalist for the DII-AAA Mr. Football award, which Thomas won. 

Small is the son of former Ole Miss receiver Eddie Small, who held the school record for receiving yards in a game with 210 until AJ Brown broke it in 2017.  

 

   

Edited December 13, 2019 by kwc