Skylar Thompson is a quarterback that has not received much draft hype because he is probably a day three pick at best. The Kansas State product is a mobile quarterback who was impressive during his time in college. Thompson was a three-star quarterback before college and has arguably overperformed compared to expectations. He was good on the field and the classroom and may have played himself into a chance at the next level.
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Player Bio
Name: Skylar Thompson
Jersey: No. 7
Position: Quarterback
School: Kansas State
Class: Redshirt Senior
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 223 lbs
Games Watched: Stanford (2021), Arkansas State (2020), West Virginia (2019), Oklahoma (2019)
Major Injury History: None
Player Breakdown
Arm Talent (6.25/15)
Thompson’s arm strength is decent. He puts enough speed behind his throws to fit passes into tight windows but does not blow many away with his arm talent. Thompson can make deep throws, but the velocity is not always there, which allows the opposing defensive back to catch up. He can throw with nice touch, but his passes can take some time before reaching his target.
Accuracy (13/15)
From an accuracy standpoint, Thompson is pretty good. He has great accuracy on short routes and puts the ball in front of receivers to let them make a play. On short and intermediate throws he is usually accurate and flashed the ability to find success to the outside. His lack of elite arm strength also limited him on deep passes.
Decision Making (4/15)
An area of concern is Thompson’s decision-making. While he does a decent job of seeing the field and anticipating coverage, he is sometimes slow to process when receivers are freeing up. When Thompson is late to make a throw, it usually results in an incompletion. He is also not great at picking up blitzes or pressure before the snap, which hurts him once the play starts.
Progressions (7/10)
For the most part, Thompson does a good job of moving through progressions. He can read the field well and move through his reads well. Thompson spreads the ball around to give all of his receivers opportunities. His lack of arm strength limits his capability to hit reads downfield or against the sideline, but he can look most places on the field to make a throw.
Pocket Awareness (4/10)
Thompson’s pocket awareness is not horrible but can improve. When he senses pressure, he does a good job tucking the ball and running to pick up extra yards. However, Thompson does not always pick up pressure before or during the play to evade it. He also tends to run early rather than step up to deliver a throw, which is a knock on his versatility as a passer.
Anticipation/Touch (7/10)
Thompson’s touch is pretty good. When a receiver finds open space, rather than relying on arm strength, he uses touch. Thompson can lift the ball over the opposing defensive back and drop it in the hands of his receivers. His anticipation is also pretty good. Thompson has a solid understanding of coverage and can notice when a receiver will free up most of the time. However, he sometimes struggles to decipher the whole play quickly enough.
Out of Structure (5/10)
On off-balance throws, Thompson is capable but not close to being consistent. He relies on his arm too much to make plays out of structure which does not work out because he has average arm strength. Thompson should not look to make many off-platform throws unless he can get his body into it somehow because he sometimes struggles when it is on his arm.
Mobility (9/10)
Mobility is a good trait for Thompson. Although his pocket awareness is not always great, when he tucks the ball, even if it is too early, his athletic ability shines. He can make defenders miss and pick up extra yards on broken-down plays. When Thompson finds open space, he has the potential to explode for a big play. Most of his appeal comes from his mobility.
Mechanics (4/5)
Thompson’s mechanics are pretty sound. His base is pretty good and wide; however, Thompson could bend his legs a bit more, but it is not a concern. Thompson’s hips come forward well, and he steps into most of his throws. His release comes out fairly quickly, and his throwing mechanics are smooth. Thompson’s release looks comfortable, and it works well.
Player Summary
Thompson may receive some late-round attention because of his outstanding mobility. He has sound mechanics and can throw with accuracy in the pocket and tuck the ball and run. His decision-making and pocket awareness will hurt his stock with his lack of elite arm strength. However, if Thompson does not get drafted, he could be picked up in the undrafted free agent market to get a shot at the next level.
Rookie Projections: Practice Squad
Third Year Projections: Out of the NFL
Final Grade (59.25/100): Priority UDFA
Player Comp: Daniel Jones
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Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
