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After waiting a long time to get his opportunity at talent-rich Alabama, Thompson finally made his mark as a redshirt junior. Thompson, 22, earned second- and first-team All-American accolades with 78 tackles, three forced fumbles and two interceptions last season after being buried on the depth chart since joining the Crimson Tide.

A torn ligament in his wrist prevented Thompson from participating at the Scouting Combine or at Alabama’s March 19 Pro Day. Also had an assault charge dropped this winter that stemmed from a 2017 physical altercation. Could still be in the mix as the top safety chosen.

Size

6-1, 195 pounds

Combine notables

DNP

What the analysts say

“Talented high-safety prospect with good range and ball skills who will experience occasional bumps in the road as he grows into a finished product. Thompson plays with desired levels of explosiveness and chance-taking in his coverage, but inconsistencies against Oklahoma and Clemson show that he may not be ready to step right in as a pro. He will be parked on the back-end and may need to pick and choose his spots as a hitter due to his frame.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

“Deionte Thompson is a bit of a roller coaster ride as a single high FS. Thompson has adequate range and long speed, but he’s always looking to jump action in front of his face. That yields big plays…for both the defense and the opposition. Thompson would be an effective single high defender with more focus on trusting his keys and being more willing to clean up the mess instead of trying to jump the football at such a high rate. Ceiling is a Pro Bowl player.” – Kyle Crabbs, The Draft Network

What PFF says

-18^th in forced incompletion percentage
-24^th in cover snaps per reception
-83^rd in tackling efficiency

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CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE
ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE

TOP 40 PLAYERS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS NEEDS & TARGETS
POSITIONAL TOP 5 RANKINGS & VIDEO BREAKDOWNS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
INMAN: NFC NORTH WORST CASE DRAFT SCENARIOS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL (PODCASTS, VIDEOS, ARTICLES)
INMAN’S MOCK DRAFT COLLECTION

Sam Ekstrom

Sam Ekstrom is an executive producer and host at Locked On Sports Minnesota. He's previously covered the Vikings for 105 The Ticket, Zone Coverage, Purple Insider, and the Associated Press. He grew up in Vermillion, S.D. rooting for the USD Coyotes (not SDSU) and graduated from Dordt (not "dork") University in Sioux Center, Iowa.

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