For the first time since 1989, the Arizona Cardinals have selected a player in the supplemental draft. Today the Cardinals picked Washington State safety Jalen Thompson in the fifth round. He was the only player in the supplemental draft to be selected.
Arizona was one of 26 teams who were present for Thompson’s pro day in Los Angeles on Monday and one of six teams that lined up to meet with him.
His testing results were 11 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press; 40-yard times of 4.47 and 4.56 seconds; a vertical leap of 33.5 inches; a broad jump of 10 feet, 4 inches; 4.16 seconds in the short shuttle; and 6.98 seconds in the three-cone.
By taking Thompson, the Cardinals forfeit their fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft. They also used a fifth-round selection in the 2019 draft in April to select a safety, Deionte Thompson.
The selection of Jalen Thompson brings depth at safety but puts players like Rudy Ford and Josh Shaw more at risk of not making the team. Of course, Thompson must still make the team himself.
Thompson entered the supplemental draft because he was ruled ineligible for his final season at Washington State.
In three seasons for the Cougars, the 5-10, 186-pound Thompson played in 39 games, had 190 total tackles, six interceptions, 17 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
In 1989, the Cardinals used a first-round pick on quarterback Timm Rosenbach, who also played at Washington State. He started 20 games over three seasons, going 5-15.
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