Jabari Small Bio
Jabari Mikal Small is an American professional football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 5 feet 9 inches tall and listed at 198 pounds, Small has built his career on a patient, between-the-tackles running style shaped by four seasons in the Southeastern Conference. After going undrafted out of the University of Tennessee, he signed with his hometown Tennessee Titans before eventually landing with the Lions.
Small is in the early stages of his professional career and is currently listed as an active member of the Detroit Lions roster. He wears jersey number 26 and continues to develop his role as a complementary back at the pro level.
Early Life and Background
Jabari Mikal Small was born on January 31, 2002, in Memphis, Tennessee. He grew up in the Memphis area and attended Briarcrest Christian School in nearby Eads, Tennessee, where he first gained attention as a multi-purpose offensive weapon. In his sophomore season, he caught 22 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing the pass-catching ability that would later become part of his offensive profile.
As a junior, Small became the featured back for Briarcrest, rushing for 1,118 yards and 12 touchdowns. During his senior season, he scored four touchdowns in a single playoff quarterfinal game, although Briarcrest ultimately fell to Ensworth High School. Coming out of high school, he was rated a three-star recruit, the 12th-best all-purpose back, and the 22nd-best overall recruit in the state of Tennessee.
Small initially committed to play college football for the Ole Miss Rebels before flipping his decision a few months later and signing with the in-state Tennessee Volunteers. That late change set the course for the next four years of his playing career.
Path to American Football
Small’s path toward a professional career in American football began with his high school production at Briarcrest Christian School, where his ability as both a runner and a receiver helped him stand out among regional prospects. His senior-year tape, highlighted by a four-touchdown playoff performance, gave college recruiters a clear picture of his offensive ceiling.
After initially committing to the Ole Miss Rebels, Small de-committed in December of his senior year and chose to stay close to home by signing with the Tennessee Volunteers. The move allowed him to compete in the SEC, one of the most competitive conferences in college football, while developing in front of familiar recruiting evaluators in the region.
Jabari Small Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
Small’s college career at Tennessee began in the 2020 season, a shortened year in which he served as a complementary runner. He carried the ball 26 times for 117 yards and added four receptions for 24 yards, getting his first taste of SEC football while learning behind more experienced backs.
In his first extended role during the 2021 season, Small emerged as a reliable contributor. He rushed 141 times for 792 yards and scored nine touchdowns, giving Tennessee a dependable option in the backfield and establishing himself as one of the program’s most productive rushers heading into his upperclassman years.
Tennessee Volunteers Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Small’s 2022 season was his most productive college campaign. He rushed 157 times for 734 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also catching 12 passes for 106 yards and two scores. An arm injury limited him to just two carries in one early-season game, but he rebounded to finish the year as a focal point of Tennessee’s offense.
During the 2023 season, Small continued to handle a steady workload, carrying the ball 95 times for 475 yards and two touchdowns and adding seven receptions for 40 yards. After the season, he declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and opted out of the Volunteers’ bowl game against Iowa, ending his college career with a 2,118-yard rushing total and 25 rushing touchdowns across four seasons.
Detroit Lions Era (2025–Present)
Small signed with the Detroit Lions on July 18, 2025, joining the team during training camp. He was waived on August 10 but returned to the organization when the Lions re-signed him to the practice squad on December 1. He later signed a reserve/future contract with Detroit on January 5, 2026, securing his place on the roster entering the next league year.
Listed at running back and wearing number 26, Small continues to work toward an expanded role in Detroit’s offense. His combination of SEC experience, pass-catching ability, and special-teams potential gives the Lions flexibility in how they deploy him.
Driving Style and Strengths
Small is known for a patient, contact-balanced running style with the vision to find creases inside the tackles. His background as a high school receiver translates to the NFL level as reliable hands out of the backfield, while his compact build at 5 feet 9 inches and 198 pounds allows him to absorb hits between the tackles.
Notable Events and Milestones
Small’s career-defining stretch came during the 2022 season, when he scored 13 rushing touchdowns for the Volunteers. He also reached a personal milestone during the 2021 campaign by surpassing 700 rushing yards for the first time in his college career, and he has since earned the distinction of being a Tennessee alumnus now playing in the NFL.
Jabari Small Career Wins
Jabari Mikal Small has accumulated a number of verified statistical accomplishments across his high school, college, and early professional career. While he has not yet recorded a win in the sense of a championship at the professional level, his career totals reflect consistent production at every stop.
College Highlights
Across four seasons at Tennessee, Small rushed for 2,118 yards and 25 touchdowns on roughly 419 carries, while also adding 27 receptions for 170 yards and two receiving touchdowns. His 2021 and 2022 campaigns stand out as his most productive college years, combining for more than 1,500 rushing yards and 22 rushing scores.
Other Wins and Performances
Small’s most notable high school win came in a 2020 playoff game during his senior season, when he scored four touchdowns. He has also earned SEC-level recognition through consistent play against top-ranked competition, and his professional résumé now includes reserve/future contracts with two NFL organizations.
Jabari Small Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Small comes from a football family with deep Southeastern Conference roots. His father, Eddie Small, played wide receiver for the Ole Miss Rebels, while his two uncles, Tony and O.J., were both all-SEC wide receivers for the Georgia Bulldogs and the Florida Gators, respectively. The family’s history at the receiver position shaped Small’s own development as a pass-catching running back.
Personal Life
Jabari Mikal Small was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, and later attended school at Briarcrest Christian School in Eads. He remains connected to his Tennessee roots after spending his college career with the in-state Volunteers and beginning his NFL journey with the Tennessee Titans. Public information about his personal relationships and family life beyond his parents and extended football family is limited.
2025 Season Performance
Small’s 2025 season began with a July 18 signing in Detroit, giving him a fresh opportunity with the Lions after being waived by the Tennessee Titans in May. He was released during the Lions’ roster cutdown in August but returned to the team’s practice squad on December 1, giving him a path back into the organization for the stretch run of the regular season.
On the practice squad, Small has focused on preparation, special-teams development, and readiness to step into a game-day role when called upon. The Lions’ depth chart at running back gave him a narrow path to active-roster playing time, but his reserve/future contract signed in January 2026 positions him for a legitimate shot at a 2026 training camp roster spot.
Looking ahead, Small enters the offseason with momentum after spending a full calendar year attached to an NFL organization. His next opportunity will come during Detroit’s 2026 offseason program, where he will look to translate his practice-squad reps into a more permanent role on the active roster.
