Oakland Raiders: Ranking the top ten safeties in the 2016 NFL Draft
By Austin Gayle
Darian Thompson, Boise State
Darian Thompson, a former free safety at Boise State, is a ball-hawking defensive back with the production to back his ability, as he now holds the school record with 19 career interceptions. Thompson doesn’t always look for the big hit, but he is an aggressive defender both in coverage and against the run.
After running the 40-yard dash in 4.69 seconds at the 2016 NFL scouting combine, the concerns surrounding Thompson’s speed truly materialized. Also, his aggressive play style directly contributed to his production with Boise State, but it consistently put him out of position in coverage and caused him to miss tackles near the line of scrimmage.
Though Thompson is one of the more talented safeties in terms of coverage, his lack of speed is concerning enough for scouts to consider him as solely a strong safety at the next level. Thompson could slip into the second round if teams look past his lack of speed, but Oakland should only consider him if he is available in the third round.