The Arizona Cardinals got a steal in the fifth round of the draft on Saturday when they selected Alabama safety Deionte Thompson, according to many. However, his stock appears to have a dropped for a reason.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, he was taken off many teams’ draft boards for medical issues. He apparently has a degenerative knee issue.
He did not miss any games in 2018, appearing in 14, his one year as a starter. He did have wrist surgery in February, keeping him from participating in combine drills.
The issue doesn’t mean he is immediately at risk for injury but it probably was big enough of a concern to invest a Day 1 or Day 2 pick on him. In terms of talent, Thompson was worth a first or second-round pick.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
