Washington has seen a number of key contributors arrive by the switch portal over the previous few seasons, and Anterio Thompson is one in every of them. What he lacks in measurement, he makes up for in velocity, and time will inform if he can carve out a profitable NFL profession.
Position: Defensive Tackle
Thompson’s path to Washington required endurance and dedication. His first collegiate snaps have been on the JUCO stage, spending his freshman season at Iowa Western Community College. One yr later, he was taking part in Power Five soccer after transferring to Iowa. The leap was spectacular, but it surely left him with restricted alternative. Thompson relocated to Western Michigan for his junior season earlier than in the end touchdown at Washington for his grand finale.
Thompson was a well-respected JUCO prospect. He was a three-star and ranked No. 52 nationally by 247Sports.
Thompson’s lone season at Iowa Western CC was a productive one. He logged 32 tackles and 6 sacks in 12 video games in the course of the 2022 season. His switch to Iowa allowed him to showcase his athleticism as he blocked two kicks, however he performed in simply seven video games and completed the yr with one sort out.
Thompson’s switch to Western Michigan was a smart choice, as his manufacturing had a big leap. He completed with 34 tackles, one sack, two move breakups, and added one other blocked kick. He performed in each sport and began 12 of 13.
Finally, Thompson transferred to Washington, the place he performed in each sport for the Huskies. He completed the marketing campaign with 30 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two move breakups.
As talked about, Thompson is an athlete. If his title is known as within the NFL Draft, it’ll be as a result of his uncooked athleticism is interesting to groups that imagine they’ll develop him right into a contributor. In an period the place cell quarterbacks have gotten extra prevalent yr by yr, fast defensive linemen turn out to be extra worthwhile. It is more durable than ever to sort out quarterbacks in house, and that’s an period the place Thompson might flourish if he places all of it collectively.
Thompson’s measurement might be troublesome on the subsequent stage. His potential is centered round explosiveness, translating to being a disruptor, however that ceiling is not going to be reached if he can’t get by bigger-bodied offensive linemen operating at him downhill. Furthermore, uncooked velocity is his power, however being fast off the road of scrimmage just isn’t, so his response time should enhance as nicely.
NFL Projection / Mock Draft
It’s arduous to think about Thompson not being on a roster when the primary week of preseason rolls round. The query is whether or not he’ll be on one as a draft choose or an undrafted free agent. Thompson should overcome the hurdle of being undersized, and the one manner to take action is by using his athleticism to unlock a brand new stage of explosiveness. That’s a tall job within the NFL, but it surely’s what groups will anticipate in the event that they use a draft choose on him.
