Omari Thomas compares himself to Quinnen Williams

No SEC team is going to be successful defensively without an effective big man up the middle. Omari Thomas is that person for the Tennessee Volunteers, hoping for another great season heading into his senior year. Thomas represented the program in Nashville at SEC Media Days and was asked to compare himself to a player.

He decided to go with former Alabama defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, one of the best the SEC has seen in recent times. Thomas enjoys more than Williams’ ability on the field. How much Williams enjoys playing football and his personality shining sticks out to the fourth-year player too.

“I try to at least watch Quinnen Williams,” Thomas said. “I feel like that’s a big guy who is athletic, shows he can move, show he can make plays, have fun. Funny guy. I just see myself a lot in Quinnen Williams.”

Alabama and Tennessee might be bitter rivals but not many schools have churned out defensive linemen like the Crimson Tide. Williams might be the best of them all and he fared well against the Vols during his college days. He recorded four tackles and a tackle for loss during the 2018 matchup.

Williams went No. 3 overall to the New York Jets just a few months later. Now, he is one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL and is dominating at the next level. Something you have to imagine Thomas wants to accomplish in his career as well.

From a frame standpoint, Thomas is listed at 6’4, 320 pounds by Tennessee. During Williams’ redshirt sophomore season at Alabama, he was 6-4, 295 pounds. New York now lists him over 300 pounds, adding some weight since joining the NFL.

Either way, Thomas is going to have just a tad bit more size up on the defensive line.

Thomas recorded 26 tackles during the 2022 season, adding on 2.5 tackles for a loss and 2.0 sacks. Everyone in Knoxville will be hoping for those numbers to move a tick up in 2023. Tennessee would enjoy a true breakout star on the defensive end.

Putting up Williams-type numbers would be the absolute dream. He had 19.5 tackles for a loss and 8.0 sacks as Alabama made its way to the national championship game in 2018. Williams was one of the main reasons why, to go along with a high-powered offense.

Something the Vols could have play out in front of their eyes in the near future.