Continuing on my series of the Top 5 draft prospects in the Mountain West Conference for the 2021 NFL Draft (in no particular order), we have Tariq Thompson, Safety out of San Diego State University. Weighing in at 6’0″ 200 lbs, he is widely considered the the best draft eligible defensive player in the conference. The film I watched to scout Thompson was @ New Mexico State (2019), vs. Central Michigan (2019), and @ UNLV (2019).
Pros:
The mental aspects of Tariq Thompson’s game are what stands out to me. He does a great job of recognizing the play, communicating it to his teammates and reading and reacting in a split second. He is a willing tackler which he does a great job in a high zone and can run the route for a Receiver. He plays the flat zone well and shows a solid understanding of transitioning Receivers in and out of his zone. In the run game he sets the edge well and is willing to stuff the run.
Cons:
The weaknesses of Thompson start with his aggressiveness. While he is aggressive coming down hill to make a play, he often has too soft of a cushion while in coverage which makes it easy for a Receiver to run his route and create separation. He also tends to read the QB for too long which results in him playing trail coverage a lot of the time. In pursuit he also will take bad angles and that will cause him to be in bad positions to make tackles. Thompson also comes in like a missile and he will miss arm tackles due to that, he needs to start breaking down more. His hand work could improve a bit more when it comes to breaking up passes, playing press, and shedding blocks.
Bottom Line:
Overall, Tariq Thompson could be a solid contributor in the NFL with a bit of work. Right now, I project him as a solid backup Safety and Special Teamer. He plays a lot of nickel/dime in SDSU’s 3-3-5 defense however I view him as a solid high Free Safety. His play recognition and read and react timing are what can set him apart from other prospects, as well as he does a solid job in high zone and flat coverage. He could play a bit of nickel/dime in the NFL, but he will have troubles defending against tight ends or stronger Receivers. The good thing about Thompson as a prospect is that the areas, he needs to improve can be taught easily where as you cannot really teach the mental aspects of the game which he excels in. To finalize my scouting report, I have gave Tariq Thompson a prospect rating of 6.0, which translates to a 3rd round grade.
