Tagging along with his older brother was not so bad after all for Jaron Thomas.
Growing up as Jaton Thomas' "little brother," the Concord High senior has made a name for himself both on the gridiron and the track.'
"Jaton was definitely my biggest influence," explained Jaron Thomas about the 2022 Concord graduate. "He was one of the best track runners in the area his junior and senior year, and that's what kind of first sparked my interest in sports. I was fortunate enough to run with him my freshman year when he was a senior, so that was really cool."
He is now no longer living in his brother's shadow.
The results speak for themselves.
Limited to one rushing attempt as a sophomore, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound running back earned a spot on the Indiana Football Coaches Association's Class 5A all-state and Northern Lakes Conference teams by accumulating 171 carries for 1,431 yards with 19 touchdowns a year ago.
Then this past spring at the 2024 Indiana High School Athletic Association's state track and field finals, he placed 13th in the 100-meter dash and was part of the Minutemen's 4X100 relay team that earned a seventh-place finish.
"When I was coming into my freshman year, my main drive was to prove people wrong," recalled Jaron Thomas, who also tallied 74 tackles with eight for loss from his linebacker slot. "I didn't really have a name for myself since my brother was so successful, so I was seen as his little brother. After that, my drive was really just to be better than what I was the year or season before. The thought of failure or not succeeding drives me, so I always work 10 times harder than I did the year before."
These qualities have impressed Concord head football coach Craig Koehler.
"Jaron is incredibly talented on the field, but his intangibles and off-the-field qualities are what has really separated him," explained Koehler. "He is our leader not because of his accomplishments on the field, but because of his high character and great work ethic."
Jaron, who put on shoulder pads for the first time in the eighth grade, has the same admiration for his boss.
"Coach Koehler has done more for Concord than he credits himself for," said Jaron Thomas. "He makes the players know that 'F5OH' is not just a saying, it's a way to live and he gives us many examples of it. He has brought in many alumni to speak on the program and how it has led them throughout their lives personally. Football aside, he makes sure to send a message to the players on how to live. It's done more for me in my years here than I would've ever thought my freshman year."
His commitment to excellence has extended to the classroom as well where he currently has a 3.6 grade-point average.
"The way I approach it is that none of my athletic achievements would be possible without academics," explained Jaron Thomas. "I give just as much time as I do athletics to academics in the classroom. It consists of working with the class time given and not waiting to do things."
Coming off a 6-5 campaign last fall, he understands more hard work is necessary to get Concord back to the winner's circle for the first time since its last sectional crown in 2018.
"I worked with a few of my teammates at quarterback and wide receiver training places," said Jaron Thomas. "We got coached up by college coaches, and just worked a lot of drill work at the football field with friends. I just stayed the course all summer and stayed consistent."
All of this came after he accepted a scholarship offer in early June to continue his playing career at Purdue University.
"Purdue felt like a home since when I first stepped foot on campus," recalled Jaron Thomas. "Me and Coach (Lamar) Conard have grown a connection since January and I know he knows what I need best to improve and I think I can become the best version of myself there. Academically, they also are a really good school in my interests.
"Although I don't have a full grasp on what I want to study academically, I just want to have a good earning in whatever I do, whether that's business or engineering. If things go right, hopefully I'll be able to take it all the way to the NFL (National Football League)."
Before heading off to West Lafayette, though, he wants to take care of some unfinished business in Dunlap.
It starts on August 23 with Concord's season opener against visiting Elkhart at Jake Field.
"I absolutely think the talent that we have on the team will open up more opportunities," said Jaron Thomas. "If things swing our way, we'll play a lot more games than just 11 this year."
