2020 S Chris Thompson commits to Texas

The 2018 6A state championship featured two state powerhouses in Galena Park North Shore and Duncanville. The game was littered with players who will play division 1 football. For Duncanville, 2020 QB Ja’Quinden Jackson and 2020 S Chris Thompson had long been on the radar of the Texas coaching staff, but their strong performances in the state title game only helped cement them as two of the biggest targets on the recruiting board for the Longhorns. In June, Texas secured a commitment from the first part of the duo when Jackson pulled the trigger in favor of the Longhorns. Thompson wasn’t far behind, eventually pledging to Texas, becoming the 13th commit in the 2020 class.

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Thompson had a relatively quiet recruitment. It was long thought Texas was in clubhouse leader from the beginning, and the sentiment was only strengthened when Jackson committed and hinted at Thompson joining him in Austin. As his decision date grew closer, Texas had to hold off a late and credible push from Auburn, but eventually secured a commitment from one of the best safeties in the state. Thompson is currently ranked as the 18th best safety in the country and the 210th best player in the country, according to the 247sports composite rankings.

Film Analysis

Player Information

Name: Chris Thompson

Position: S

High School: Duncanville

City & State: Dallas, Texas

Measurables

Height: 6’2

Weight: 195

40-yard time: N/A

Shuttle: N/A

Hudl

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/8154216/59de34075b47bd0d38a334de

Three Best Traits:

Physicality – From the moment you turn on his film, Thompson makes it clearly known he is not afraid to hit. He is a striker and I can’t imagine many high school receivers were thrilled to be going over the middle of the field when they knew he was lurking. Thompson has the ability to deliver the boom on any given play, including on special teams.

Instincts- The good news is that Thompson is not just a player who roams around looking for anyone in an opposing jersey to light up. He routinely shows the ability to sniff out plays as they happening and blow them up, especially in the short passing game. His film shows him blowing up bubble screens and screen passes.

Athleticism– In a conference like the Big 12, defenders must be able to move sideline to sideline and defend in space. The offensive minds in the league exploit the teams who are unable to keep up with the speed and quickness almost all skill players possess. Thompson is someone who will be very beneficial because of his ability to stay with backs and receivers while serving as a plus defender against the run.

Three Areas for Improvement:

Long term position fit– The biggest question for Thompson once he arrives on the 40 acres is where he will fit in position wise. He is classified as a safety right now at Duncanville, but he is very comfortable playing around the line of scrimmage and could possibly grow into playing linebacker down the road. Regardless, Texas will likely have to find a way to get him on the field due to his versatility and skill set.

Defending the pass– If Thompson ends sticking in the secondary, he will need some development in defending the pass. His aggressiveness and physicality will serve him well in the run game, but it remains to be seen if he will have the ability to stick with Big 12 receivers when he is asked to drop into coverage.

Harnessing his aggressiveness- Aggressiveness is no doubt one of the biggest strengths for Thompson, but it will also be something he has to watch. He is very aggressive in diagnosing plays and jumping routes, so he will have to be careful to not get caught peeking in the backfield too often.

Summary

When it comes to scheme, it may be hard to find a defensive recruit this cycle who is a better fit for what Todd Orlando wants to do. Thompson is a safety who plays with linebacker traits. He is an enforcer in the run game and consistently delivers big hits all over the field. At 195 pounds, he is likely too small to play linebacker right away, but he could be someone who transitions to a position like rover down the road. His film reminded me a lot of watching DeMarvion Overshown, who also may end up in more of a linebacker type role in the future. Orlando talks a lot about finding a way to get the best 11 defenders on the field, and Thompson brings a skill set that allows him to be a variety of different things in potentially several different roles. The biggest challenge for Thompson at the next level will be continuing to develop in defending the pass. There is little doubt in his ability as a run stuffer, but his willingness and ability to learn how to drop back in coverage will likely dictate how early he sees the field on defense.

Final Verdict

Texas was relatively quiet in 2018 and 2019 when it came to recruiting the DFW area, but the Longhorns have certainly made up for it in the 2020 and 2021 classes so far. The addition of Thompson gives the Longhorns their two Duncanville targets for the current class, but now the coaching staff will turn their attention to one of their teammates, 2021 5-star OL Savion Byrd.