Omari Thomas reacts to his rating in EA Sports College Football 25

When it comes to excitement around a video game for sports fans, there hasn’t been anything quite like the return of EA Sports College Football 25. It made its triumphant return this July after a long hiatus, bringing joy to not only all the fans, but plenty of players across the country, too. Tennessee defensive tackle Omari Thomas was disappointed with his rating (83 overall), and he’s ready to try to get that number bumped up eventually.

“I definitely expect it to change for sure,” Thomas said at SEC Media Days in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday. “But I’m happy with it.”

Thomas is the seventh-highest rated Tennessee player on the game, which had an early release Monday afternoon and is making its return for the first time since 2014.

“At the end of the day, it’s a video game,” Thomas said. “You can’t get too down about it, can’t get too up about it. I’m going to still play the game regardless if I was a 60.”

“It’s just fun to be able to be a part of something that was the most important and they brought it back. So, it’s a blessing to be in this position and know that I’m part of the game that came back,” Thomas finished.

Omari Thomas is Tennessee’s seventh-highest rated player

Junior edge rusher James Pearce Jr. topped the list for the Vols with a 95 Overall, ahead of redshirt senior center Cade Mays (89), junior receiver Squirrel White (87), fifth-year senior receiver Bru McCoy (86), redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava (86) and junior running back Dylan Sampson.

Chris Brazzell II, the transfer receiver from Tulane, is just behind Thomas with an 82 Overall rating. Receiver Dont’e Thornton, defensive back Jourdan Thomas, Notre Dame transfer tight end Holden Staes and offensive lineman Jackson Lampley all have 81 Overall ratings. 

Thomas, the 6-foot-4, 325-pound Memphis native, has 94 Strength and 92 Awareness. In 48 career games over the last four seasons, Thomas has 93 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. Last season he had career highs in tackles (35) and tackles for loss (4.5). 

Tennessee will begin the 2024 campaign with redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava under center. Fans in Knoxville are buzzing with excitement about his future, and it’s been easy to see why. He was touted as one of the nation’s best coming out of high school and with good reason. The California native was rated as a five-star prospect and the No. 3 overall quarterback in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

He’s one of the bright, young stars in the game of college football and should be exciting to watch over the years in Josh Heupel’s explosive offensive attack.

On3’s Grant Ramey also contributed to this article.