Born and raised in Los Angeles, Small graduated from John C. Fremont High School in 1981.

He played college football at the University of Washington in Seattle under head coach Don James.

An outside linebacker in his senior season in 1984, the Huskies won the Orange Bowl and were second in the final rankings.

Small was selected in the ninth round of the 1985 NFL draft by the Steelers.

This biographical article relating to an American football linebacker born in the 1960s is a stub.