Aaron Carrara
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When Brandon Jones became a headliner on the recruiting scene, he attracted a lot of eyes to the east Texas town of Nacogdoches. While many evaluators loved what they saw on film from the blue chip Jones, they also noticed the talent of a 2017 prospect that played beside him. Josh Thompson started turning heads in the spring, and he earned multiple offers before ultimately committing to TCU. While Thompson was thrilled with his commitment to the Horned Frogs, he always kept an eye to Austin and a potential offer from the Longhorns. Thompson received that offer, and he made the switch official when he committed to the Longhorns today. Thompson chose Texas over offers from Houston, Missouri, Texas Tech, Utah, and Kansas State among others.
The Longhorns chased other prospects throughout the recruiting cycle, but in the background Thompson was busy elevating his ability. Jeff Traylor kept contact with Thompson through the spring, and Texas pounced when the time was right. Texas was able to get Thompson in on a secret visit in July, and the allure of playing in Austin with Brandon Jones was too enticing. Thompson shows some high athletic upside, and he has the ability to play multiple positions in the secondary. Like Texas commit Kobe Boyce, Thompson trains with Dallas area skills trainer Coach Flight. Boyce and Thompson became close through working together, and the idea of playing alongside Boyce at the collegiate level also appealed to Thompson. Texas will continue to evaluate defensive back prospects, while chasing the others on their board. Thompson, Boyce, and Estell give Texas three big time athletes with ability to develop into very good college players.
Film Analysis:
Thompson has a strong frame 6’0 180 lbs., with broad shoulders and long arms. He already has good bulk on his frame, but he could add as much as fifteen to twenty pounds by the time he fills out. Thompson shows quick feet and good change of direction ability. His explosive ability is exceptional, and his short area burst helps overcome some raw technique. Thompson is physical with good hand placement and closing speed, and he shows excellent leaping ability on balls in the air. Thompson’s ability near the line of scrimmage can best be described as tenacious. He fights through blocks well on run plays, and he can also get through traffic to blow up a screen play. Thompson is fairly new to playing defensive back, but he shows natural instincts and a nose for the ball. His playmaking ability and field awareness is evident on tape, and his work ethic to get better is very strong. Thompson has improved leaps and bounds from his junior season to this point in the cycle. He’s also a very good tackler with a relentless motor. Thompson shows the skills necessary to feature at a number of positions including safety, nickel, and boundary corner. Positional versatility along with size and athleticism are ingredients for the perfect Charlie Strong player.
Final Verdict:
The defensive backs committed in this class might not be the highest ranked guys on the board, but they all show significant athletic upside with high ceilings. Thompson’s ability to play multiple positions in the secondary and physical ability blend well with his instincts and football IQ. Thompson will need to take some time to refine the finer points of the game, but his ceiling is that of a multi-year starter and all-conference candidate with an NFL future.
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