The Arizona Cardinals selected Washington State defensive back Jalen Thompson in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Supplemental draft.
Thompson was deemed ineligible to play by the NCAA for testing positive for an illegal substance. The 5-foot-10, 186-pounder played safety in college, where he tallied 121 tackles, six interceptions and 17 pass deflections in three seasons at Washington State. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, and he also clocked in a 6.98 three-cone drill and a 4.16 20-yard shuttle.
Thompson is an athletic player who has good straight-line speed and range in coverage. He’s no slouch in man coverage, but he’s at his best in a single-high or two-high scheme where he can roam freely in zone coverage. Though not an incredible run defender, he has flashed some ability as a tackler.
The former Cougar standout has starting upside and could step in and contribute fairly early in his career, either as a safety or a nickel cornerback. Thompson joins a Cardinals secondary that already features intriguing young talents like Byron Murphy, Budda Baker and Deionte Thompson.
