Shaq Thompson
Washington, WLB
Height: 6.0
Weight: 228
40yd: 4.64
Age: 21
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Positives:
An exceptionally gifted athlete, especially considering his size and his position at linebacker. Athletic ability far exceeds combine measurable that don’t adequately account for his ability. Has sideline-to-sideline range and rare speed for a linebacker. A very fluid and agile mover who moves like a safety at the second level of defense. Possesses great closing burst to delete angles and make up ground on the ball and the ballcarrier. More than athletic enough to hang with tight ends and runningbacks in coverage. Able to cover tight ends down the seam in man coverage and has the ball skills to make a play on passes in the air. Has excellent on-ball production and was a scoring threat on the defensive side of the ball. Leaps into passing windows and can deflect passes that make it beyond the line of scrimmage before they make it to the intended receiver.
Despite possessing less than adequate size for the position, he is an effective run defender based on his play speed and mindset. Plays aggressive against the run and is willing to mix it up. Shows very good lateral movement and balance to and avoid blocks without taking himself out of the play. Above average as a tackler and will not whiff on many or get juked out of his cleats in the hole. Can bring some pop into his collisions with ballcarriers. Has good instincts against the run and versus the pass, allowing him to play and move faster than stopwatch speed.
Has the potential versatility to play a number of positions in the NFL. Best fit is as a Will linebacker, but could function as either an interior or Sam linebacker as well. Was recruited as a safety and was asked to play a lot of deep coverage, even at linebacker. Platooned as a runningback his junior season and flashed very good production in doing so, further bolstering his case as a versatile playmaker. A young player with very good character and has upside to be a great NFL player.
Negatives:
Marginal size for an NFL linebacker, despite an increasingly thicker build. Athletic ability seemed better on 2013 tape than on 2014 tape, raising concerns about his ability hold more than 220 pounds and may be too muscular, detracting from his flexibility and movement. Has not played the safety position much since high school and his ability to play there in the NFL is largely unproven projection. Athletic, but doesn’t fit well covering slot receivers. Can be late to disengage from blocks and doesn’t have a lot of pure power to play in the box. Angles in pursuit are too aggressive at times. Will take some false steps at the snap and height may limit ability to follow the play behind the line. Asked to focus on more than one position as a junior, which limited development on his natural side of the ball. Touches at runningback can pose some small concern to his long-term durability.
Red Flags: Size, Tweener
Bottom Line: Shaq Thompson is an incredible athletic specimen, but may have outgrown his most natural position at safety, leaving him in limbo as a hybrid safety/linebacker. Thompson is a unique athletic talent with the skillset to have played multiple positions in college and ability to give defensive coordinators creativity with their schemes and sub-packages. Thompson’s best fit in the NFL might well be as a “Money” player, a sub-package dime player gifted in both coverage and run defense, especially considering the NFL’s increasing move towards the passing game. Thompson’s playmaking ability and range are too much to ignore in the starting lineup, and could become a multi-time Pro Bowler as a stat-stuffing defender.
Comparison: Bruce Carter
Grade: 9.1 (1st Round)
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