JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<ul>
 <li><a>Hank</a></li>
 <li><a>Alice</a></li>
 <li><a>Tom</a></li>
 <li><a>Ashlee</a></li>
</ul>

JavaScript

$(document).ready(function() {
    $('li').click(function() {
      // the clicked LI
      var clicked = $(this);

      // all the LIs above the clicked one
      var previousAll = clicked.prevAll();

      // only proceed if it's not already on top (no previous siblings)
      if(previousAll.length > 0) {
        // top LI
        var top = $(previousAll[previousAll.length - 1]);

        // immediately previous LI
        var previous = $(previousAll[0]);

        // how far up do we need to move the clicked LI?
        var moveUp = clicked.attr('offsetTop') - top.attr('offsetTop');

        // how far down do we need to move the previous siblings?
        var moveDown = (clicked.offset().top + clicked.outerHeight()) - (previous.offset().top + previous.outerHeight());

        // let's move stuff
        clicked.css('position', 'relative');
        previousAll.css('position', 'relative');
        clicked.animate({'top': -moveUp});
        previousAll.animate({'top': moveDown}, {complete: function() {
          // rearrange the DOM and restore positioning when we're done moving
          clicked.parent().prepend(clicked);
          clicked.css({'position': 'static', 'top': 0});
          previousAll.css({'position': 'static', 'top': 0}); 
        }});
      }
    });
  });