Tennessean on Taylor Thompson

[PonyPride]

Tennessee Titans trade up, draft raw tight end in fifth

Written by
John Glennon
The Tennessean

• Position: Tight end
• College: SMU
• Height, weight: 6-6, 259
• Lowdown: Thompson was a full-time defensive end starter for his final three seasons at SMU before switching over to tight end prior to the Mustangs’ bowl game. … He was a tight end in high school but added so much muscle early in college that SMU moved him to the defense. … Titans raved about the size of his hands and say, based on the limited number of times they saw him practice, that he’s an excellent pass-catcher.

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When Titans scouts attended practices leading up to the unheralded Players All-Star Classic in Arkansas in February, a certain defensive end immediately impressed them.

Oddly enough, it was because of the way he ran pass patterns and caught the football.

A couple of months later the Titans made that defensive end-turned tight end their fifth-round pick, selecting SMU’s Taylor Thompson with the 145th overall selection on Saturday.

The Titans moved up 10 spots in a trade with the Dolphins to take Thompson, surrendering their seventh-round pick in the process.

It’s a decision that’s sure to be much talked about. Thompson never caught a pass in four years at SMU, but the 6-foot-6, 259-pounder was a very talented defensive end for the Mustangs, starting at that position for his final three seasons.

It was only prior to SMU’s bowl game last season that Thompson began dabbling at tight end -the position he played in high school. He continued working there during the all-star game in Arkansas.

"He was practicing full-time at tight end - routes, catching the ball, blocking, the whole deal," Titans scout John Salge said. "That’s when we said, ‘Wow, this guy has some ability.’ And obviously during his pro day he worked out as a tight end as well. We’re just excited to have him. He’s a good athlete."

It’s clear the Titans weren’t the only team that was interested in Thompson as a tight end. He said he visited nine other teams leading up to the draft.

A native of Prosper, Texas, Thompson was a highly recruited tight end coming out of high school, and he committed to Vanderbilt before changing his mind.

But there were at least a couple of reasons he wound up moving to defensive end at SMU: New Mustangs coach June Jones employed a spread offense that didn’t utilize the tight end, and Thompson bulked up so much that he was a better fit at defensive end.

But now he’s come full circle, and the Titans love the athletic potential that Thompson - who says he’s run a sub-4.5 40-yard dash - brings to the table.

"I’d say his growth will have to come in the technique of blocking, but as far as being a receiving tight end, I think he’s uncanny," offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said. "He’s got outstanding speed. He’s got outstanding size and hands."

Thompson compared himself with a couple of NFL standouts - Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots and Jimmy Graham of the Saints.

"Gronkowski is a big physical guy, and (Graham) is an athlete who decided to try out for football his last year in college," Thompson said. "So any of those guys … I’m just a big, physical guy that can make plays. I can run down the field, but I can also help in the run game."

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120 ... e%20Titans