STRENGTHS - An electric athlete, Thompson's ability to make big plays is undeniable. Instinctive and blessed with great vision, he finds open hole/crease and is explosive through it. A decisive runner who attacks hole/crease aggressively and gets through the hole extremely fast, Thompson can get behind the initial wave of defense easily. Able to change directions in a flash, he can avoid defenders who shoot into the backfield and consistently has shown the ability to make tacklers miss; even within the hole, which is a rare skill. While he is short, he is not small and consistently displays better strength and balance than expected. He runs with good body lean and gets shoulders down to make himself a smaller target, which help him to consistently run through hits and grab tackles to gain yards after contact. He consistently gives a good effort in pass pro and blocking down field. Soft, natural hands help Thompson to catch the ball clean and easy. Quick getting started up the field after the catch, he is a dangerous open field runner who is a legit touchdown threat every time he gets the ball out in space. .
WEAKNESSES - Thompson is short and has struggled to stay healthy at Florida State. He broke two vertebrae in his back in week five of the 2011 season and missed the rest of the season. Then against Miami in 2012 he blew out his left knee and missed the rest of the season after surgery. With his injury history and lack of size, his durability for the NFL is bad. While he shows the strength and balance to consistently run hard to gain yards after contact, he lacks the size to handle being a durable, full-time back. Although he gives a good effort in pass pro, his lack fo size allows pass rushers to over-power him and pressure the QB consistently.
SUMMARY - One of the most enjoyable players I evaluated in 2012, it is a shame that Thompson's injuries will likely keep him from being draft and potentially limit his ability to contribute in the NFL. While I never expected him to be a 15+ touch per game player at the NFL level, on film his skill set was very similar to that of Darren Sproles and I believe he could make a similar impact in the NFL if he can stay healthy. A dynamic athlete who changes directions fast to make tacklers miss, can make sharp cuts and explodes through holes, Thompson has everything physically except size. Overall, I doubt that Thompson will be drafted because of his lack of ideal size and history of being injured. However, I would love to sign him as a free agent because if he proves he can stay healthy he can be a productive offensive weapon. .