Jakobe Thomas was that guy in Miami’s secondary this season. After transferring from Tennessee, he came to Coral Gables hunting for a starting spot. The 22-year-old quickly turned into the heartbeat of the Hurricanes’ defense, earning Second-Team All-American honors from On3 and locking down the safety position. But there was a time when he was ready to quit it all. Fortunately, he had the support of his parents, who never left his side.

Be it learning to work hard, staying disciplined, or showing up daily, Thomas’ parents have played a huge role. So, before the spotlight fully shifts to the postseason, it’s worth looking at the foundation behind his rise.

Who are Jakobe Thomas’s parents?

Jakobe Thomas was born on June 30, 2003, in Starkville, Mississippi. He’s the son of Ian Jefferson and Brandi Thomas, and off the field, he’s studying communication studies. Simple background, but it’s clear he’s just as locked in on life beyond football as he is between the lines.

“It’s just always been me, my mom, my dad,” Thomas said on the Miami Hurricanes Storm Sessions. “Like they’re my parents. I have respect for them, but they’re my best friends, dude. My parents made a sacrifice to take me to Tennessee so I could play more football, better football. So, like, just having them around day in and day out. Like, my dad lives here with me. So, you know, my parents are my everything. It’s kind of why I play because they put so much in. There’s no reason for me not to put, you know, give back to them for what they’ve done for me.”

Becuase of such ethic, he wrapped up the regular season with 49 total tackles, 3 sacks, and 4 interceptions, highlighted by a massive pick-six against NC State. His best performance came in Miami’s 28–22 win over the Seminoles. At Tallahassee, he stuffed the stat sheet with five solo tackles, a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble.

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That game earned him ACC Defensive Back of the Week and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors. Apart from numbers, Thomas brought a veteran, ball-hawking edge that helped boost Miami’s defense into one of the nation’s best and led the Hurricanes’ 10–2 record. Now, as the 22-year-old prepares for Miami’s first-round playoff showdown against Texas A&M, he’ll be a key piece in slowing down the Aggies’ offense.

What ethnicity are Jakobe Thomas’ parents?

Even though there isn’t much public information out there about Jakobe Thomas’ ethnic background or his parents, one thing he’s been open about is his faith. Thomas is a practicing Christian, and he’s said that his life and decisions are rooted in that belief. Prayer plays a big role in his day-to-day routine. Plus, his social media often reflects it, with faith-based messages like “Let go and let God.”

Thomas was born and raised in Starkville, Mississippi, before moving to Tullahoma, Tennessee, where he attended Tullahoma High School. Coming out of high school, he committed to Middle Tennessee and joined the Blue Raiders, using his first season as a redshirt year. In 2022, he started to make noise.

Thomas played in all 12 games, starting three of them. He finished with 37 tackles, one tackle for loss, three pass breakups, four interceptions, and a forced fumble. By 2023, Thomas embraced his starting role. He put together a breakout season with 71 tackles, three tackles for loss, five pass deflections, and another forced fumble. After the season wrapped up, he opted for a change and landed at Tennessee.

His mother was not huge fan of SEC life. “She she was not a Tennessee fan, growing up in SEC country. That orange was was tough on her.” Despite this, she supported her son, in his new school. Even when things got tough for Jakobe, his mother, Brandi drove 4 hours to speak to her son in the middle of the night.

Jakobe Thomas’ relationship with his parents

Thomas has never been shy about giving credit to his parents for the man and player he’s become. Both on and off the field, they’ve played a massive role in keeping him grounded. He’s described them as “harsh” in the best way. They never let his ego get in the middle of his performance and always pushed him to stay humble and work harder.

That mindset started early, especially with his father, who was deeply involved in his athletic training from a young age.

“I was mentally struggling really bad,” Jakobe said during the same podcast a month ago. “I just remember I called my mom one night and was talking to her about like ‘I didn’t know if I wanted to play football anymore. I didn’t know what what the next page held, but I just don’t think it’s for me anymore.'”

Thomas stated that this call was at ten at night and her mother was knocking at his door at two in the morning. Brandi realized her son needed her the most and so they walked together to talk about the feelings.

“When I got back to the house, she hugged me. She said, ‘This is what you’ve done your entire life. Don’t don’t let one one moment ruin everything that you’ve built, but I want you to be happy.'”

Be it discipline or spending time with their son, Ian and Brandi have always found ways to support their son, who is navigating his college life at Miami.