Tag: B.J. Thompson

Bengals to host DL B.J. Thompson on top-30 visit before NFL draft

The Bengals have eyes on another notable 2023 defensive lineman.

The Cincinnati Bengals have been linked to B.J. Thompson during the run up to the 2023 NFL draft.

Following up on that, The Draft Wire’s Justin Melo reported that the Bengals will host Thompson on a top-30 visit on Wednesday.

Thompson, 6’6″ and 240 pounds, drummed up nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss over the course of his collegiate career. He fits what the team wants as far as versatile depth that could come in and immediately boost the pass-rush on a rotational basis.

Adding to the pass rush is something the Bengals could do as early as Round 1, but Thompson is a good example of a guy they could target later depending on how the board falls.

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Bengals visited and worked out B.J. Thompson of Stephen F. Austin

Another notable bit of draft work for the Bengals.

The Cincinnati Bengals met with Stephen F. Austin pass-rusher B.J. Thompson and had a private workout with him, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.

Thompson is 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, ran a 4.60 40-yard dash and projects to likely go on the third day of the NFL draft if he is taken.

After five years playing in college, two at Baylor and three at SFA, Thompson turned 26 years old right before his pro day in late March.

In his three years as a Lumberjack, Thompson totaled 39 tackles, six sacks and four forced fumbles.

It seems that the Bengals are continuing their search for more pass-rushing depth.

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Breaking down Chargers’ picks in ESPN’s latest 7-round mock draft

ESPN’s Jordan Reid nails the Chargers’ selections in his latest seven-round projections.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid released his new seven-round mock draft on Tuesday.

The highly-touted draft analyst kicks off the Chargers’ draft with the selection of former Texas running back Bijan Robinson.

I’ve said this before, but I do not advocate taking a running back in the first round. But if it’s Robinson, an exceptional talent, you can’t pass up on him. Los Angeles could be entering the draft without a No. 1 running back if Austin Ekeler is traded.

But even if Ekeler is still on the roster, Los Angeles has shown they have struggled to develop running backs taken on Day 3 of the draft. With Robinson, he would step in from Day 1 and boost the Bolts’ rushing attack and passing game.

Here is what Reid said about the pairing:

With Austin Ekeler requesting a trade, the backfield options for the Chargers could be slim. If you leave out positional value, Robinson is a top-five prospect in this class. The Chargers could take the best player available and add him to an offense that now has an exciting young rusher behind quarterback Justin Herbert.

In the following round, L.A. finds their tight end of the future in Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave.

Musgrave missed most of the 2022 season with an injury, but in the two-game stretch when he was on the field, though, he caught 11 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. Then, Musgrave returned and raised eyebrows at the Senior Bowl and combine.

While his blocking is a work in progress, Musgrave has the hands and overall receiving ability to be a mismatch in the passing game from Day 1. At 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds, Musgrave is well built, long, and has the athleticism and speed to separate consistently.

Then, to close out Day 2, Reid pegs USC edge defender Tuli Tuipolotu to the Bolts.

The Chargers need more players capable of disrupting opposing quarterbacks behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Tuipolutu, the 6-foot-3 and 266-pounder, has shown plenty to fit that billing, having logged 42 pressures and 13.5 sacks last season.

To open up Day 3, Reid sends Minnesota cornerback Terrell Smith to Los Angeles. J.C. Jackson is still recovering from his patellar tendon rupture that ended his season. Therefore, depth at the position is needed.

Smith possesses a great size and speed profile, standing at 6 feet and 204 pounds with a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash. He’s experienced in all coverages and is a reliable tackler in the open field.

The Chargers finally address the wide receiver position in Round 5 by selecting Michigan’s Ronnie Bell.

Given the need for speed, Bell doesn’t necessarily fit the billing, as he is not the fastest on the field, evident from a 4.51 40. Instead, his game is predicated on good route running, a big catch radius and strong hands.

In Round 6, Los Angeles selects Stephen F. Austin’s B.J. Thompson to further add depth to the EDGE group.

Thompson ran a 4.56 40, recorded an 11’3″ broad jump with a 40-inch vertical last offseason, and the freakish athleticism is evident on the field. Thompson wins with first-step explosiveness, speed, a few counters, bend, and his 82.5-inch wingspan.

To close out his seven-round projections, Reid adds depth along the offensive line with Shepherd’s Joey Fisher.

Fisher was an All-American at the Division II level, starting three seasons for the Rams. For his efforts, Fisher played at the NFLPA Bowl and was then called up to the Senior Bowl.

He will likely kick inside to guard after primarily playing tackle due to a lack of ideal measurements. But still, Fisher has superior athleticism, foot quickness, and lateral agility to contribute at the next level.

2023 NFL draft: 6 potential Chargers targets who stood out at Shrine Bowl

Here are six players who should’ve drawn the attention of the Chargers at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

The all-star circuit began in Vegas for the East-West Shrine Bowl, where there were a handful of prospects making some of their final impressions to NFL evaluators.

The Chargers Wire staff was on hand throughout the week, catching all the action. So with that, here are six players who should’ve drawn the attention of the Chargers.

WR Antoine Green, North Carolina

Speed was plentiful at the Shrine Bowl, but no players showcased their jets better than Antoine Green over the course of the week. Green not only could cleanly separate in a footrace and stack his defender with ease during one-on-ones, but he also proved how friendly to the quarterback a receiver of his size (6-2, 201 pounds) could be. He routinely extended his long arms for catches away from his frame to high point balls above the rim and away from contention. Green was one of the better receivers at combatting press coverage from an aggressive group of cornerbacks, a testament to his experience as a fifth-year player. His current toolset has all the makings of a dependable field stretcher at the next level. 

CB Kei’Trel Clark, Louisville

Clark, who played the slot this past season for the Cardinals, may have been overlooked by Shrine Bowl attendees. He has below-average size at 5-10 and 179 pounds, but Clark is able to compensate for that with his fine-tuned footwork, instincts, and ball skills. He completely jumped the gun on a couple of receiver screens during team period, an aspect that popped on his tape. Clark’s smooth ability to mirror receivers through their entire route pattern and time pass breakups was a feature across all three days of practice observed by the Chargers Wire staff. He was a top-five player in Vegas based off performance.

S Trey Dean III, Florida

Dean has the traits of a hard-hitting safety that you bet on: tall, fearless, and enough downhill speed to create some second thoughts. He capped off an impressive week in the back half of the secondary with a tip-drill interception in the Shrine Bowl game. Dean’s 6-3, 211-pound measurables were first utilized at cornerback before he swapped positions. Dean executed a variety of tasks and assignments at safety for the Gators, so competing one-on-one against the West team tight ends looked like a natural process for Dean. He is physical, oozes swagger, and teams will love the intensity he attacks the game with.

OL Atonio Mafi, UCLA

The Chargers need offensive line depth this offseason and Mafi’s presence could really boost the group. Just three years ago, Mafi was playing nose tackle for the Bruins. After making the position change to guard, Mafi still imposed his will, as he consistently moved people and held rushers at bay. That type of physicality was displayed throughout the week. The former rugby player was a bully with violent hands, great feet, and a strong anchor to limit every defensive lineman he went up against. In my interview with Mafi, he told me that the Chargers have been watching him closely since his first season in 2018 and really loved his tape.

DT Dante Stills, West Virginia

With Morgan Fox set to be a free agent, the Chargers could be in the market for an interior pass rusher, which Stills could serve as. Stills was one of the most energized players in the trenches. He raised eyebrows with his first-step quickness and twitchiness to penetrate, which blockers struggled to compromise for. He continuously fought with his hands and owned the leverage battle with great pop in his upper half. His motor ran nonstop and he was one of the most vocal players on the field.

EDGE B.J. Thompson, Stephen F. Austin

The Chargers don’t have a lot of valuable depth behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack and Thompson is a guy who I could see them targeting on Day 3 to help fulfill that. Thompson ran a 4.56 40, recorded an 11’3″ broad jump with a 40-inch vertical last offseason, and the freakish athleticism was evident. Thompson won with first-step explosiveness, speed, bend, and with his 82.5-inch wingspan.