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NFL Supplemental Draft: Scouting S Jalen Thompson’s fit with the Redskins

By Jacob Camenker

BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 19: Wide receiver Jay MacIntyre #14 of the Colorado Buffaloes is tackled by safety Jalen Thompson #34 of the Washington State Cougars after making a catch during the third quarter at Folsom Field on November 19, 2016 in Boulder, Colorado. Colorado defeated Washington State 38-24. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 19: Wide receiver Jay MacIntyre #14 of the Colorado Buffaloes is tackled by safety Jalen Thompson #34 of the Washington State Cougars after making a catch during the third quarter at Folsom Field on November 19, 2016 in Boulder, Colorado. Colorado defeated Washington State 38-24. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /
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TUCSON, AZ – OCTOBER 28: Quarterback Khalil Tate #14 of the Arizona Wildcats runs the football 82 yards against safety Jalen Thompson #34 of the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Arizona Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ – OCTOBER 28: Quarterback Khalil Tate #14 of the Arizona Wildcats runs the football 82 yards against safety Jalen Thompson #34 of the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Arizona Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Thompson’s weaknesses

Thompson has solid height on his frame at 6-feet, but he’s a little bit light. He’s listed at only 190 pounds at the moment and as a result of that, he can struggle to bring down bigger opponents and get off strong blockers. This makes him less effective close to the line of scrimmage, so that may prevent him from being a good box player.

At the NFL level, Thompson will certainly need to bulk up and add at least 10-15 pounds of muscle to his frame, much like Troy Apke did during his rookie season, going from 185 pounds to 200 pounds. But at the same time, Thompson needs to be sure that he doesn’t lose his athletic ability or lose a step in coverage, as that could cause him to have trouble being an every-down player.

Additionally, if Thompson can’t bulk up quick, that could give him issues getting on the field during his rookie season. And given how thin the Redskins are at safety, they may not be able to hold a spot for him on the 53-man roster. So, despite his upside, the fit just might not be great.

Also, unrelated to his on-field performance, Thompson did test positive for a banned substance at Washington State, and that is what caused him to lose his eligibility. It’s unclear what the extent of his troubles are, but this is a red flag that front offices will certainly investigate. That’s true of all players that enter the supplemental draft, though, so it may not be a major detractor if the Redskins like his talent level enough.

Still, these are the only glaring weaknesses that stand out when evaluating Thompson. If the Redskins do their due diligence and the rewards outweigh the risks, they could consider signing him. Especially given the state of the safety depth they have on their roster.

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