Former Tennessee Vols standout survives first NFL training camp battle

It looks like former Tennessee Vols running back Jabari Small has won his first NFL training camp battle, though there's still a lot of work to be done if he's going to earn his way on to a 53-man roster as a rookie this fall.  Small, who was signed as an undrafted free agent by […]

Zach Ragan Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

It looks like former Tennessee Vols running back Jabari Small has won his first NFL training camp battle, though there's still a lot of work to be done if he's going to earn his way on to a 53-man roster as a rookie this fall. 

Small, who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tennessee Titans earlier this spring, is still on the Titans' roster as of Thursday, but the same can't be said for undrafted free agent running back Dillon Johnson. 

Vols Titans
Jabari Small, a football player for the University of Tennessee and now the Tennessee Titans, speaks to a group of kids at a free youth football camp for children grades 1-8 at Briarcrest Christian School in Eads, Tenn., on Friday, July 19, 2024.Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

According to a report from A to Z Sports' Sam Phalen, the Titans parted ways with Johnson on Thursday. 

Johnson is a former Washington Huskies standout who was named to the All Pac-12 second team last season after totaling 1,195 yards and 16 touchdowns. 

The former Washington running back was one of Small's biggest competitors for the Titans' No. 3 running back job during training camp. 

While it's a good sign for Small that he wasn't the running back that was released on Thursday, it doesn't mean that the former Vol is locked into a roster spot with the Titans.

Small, who accumulated 2,369 total yards and 26 touchdowns during his four seasons with the Vols, is still battling Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut for the No. 3 running back job in Nashville behind Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears.