Defensive tackle Brandon Thompson impresses Falcons
The Falcons’ contingent of general manager Thomas Dimitroff, coach Mike Smith and defensive line coach Ray Hamilton made the short drive to Clemson recently.
The ACC school, which has churned out defensive linemen recently, had three prospects for the Falcons to put through their paces Tuesday — defensive tackle Brandon Thompson and defensive ends Andre Branch and Kourtnei Brown.
Thompson and Branch are projected to go in the top 50 picks of the NFL draft set for April 26-28 in New York, but could slide a little if there’s a run at another position.
Pro Football Weekly projects Brown to be a priority free agent.
Thompson, of Thomasville, felt good about his showing.
“The workout went real good,” Thompson said. “It went on for a little over an hour. I did everything I needed to do to impress them. Overall, it was a good performance.”
One of the Falcons’ strength coaches led the workout.
“We mainly did agility drills to see what type of lateral movement I had and how light I was on my feet,” Thompson said.
Thompson believes he can play any position along the line in the NFL, but most draft analysts project him as a nose tackle.
“I will do whatever it takes to win,” Thompson said. “... Wherever they want me at, I’ll be happy to play it, and I’ll dominate playing it.”
Thompson had 22.5 tackles for losses and 4.5 sacks over his career. He started 38 of 53 games he played for the Tigers.
He’s happy that the draft process is in its final stage.
“It’s just been a lot of training and meeting with different people,” Thompson said. “I’m just trying to network and get my name out there.”
Last season, Clemson had two second-round picks from their defensive line. End DaQuan Bowers went to Tampa Bay (31st overall) after concerns about his knee, and tackle Jarvis Jenkins was drafted by Washington (41st).
“I’m proud of the production that we’ve had these last three or four years in the draft,” Thompson said. “We have just been working hard. We knew what kind of goals we wanted to set for ourselves. We knew we wanted to put ourselves in good situations when it comes to draft time. I feel like everyone that has left our [defensive] line, so far, has done that.”
At the end of the workout, Thompson received some feedback from the Falcons.
“I feel like they were really happy with me and the way that I moved for my size,” Thompson said. “I’m weighing 320 now, and I was moving good. So, I feel like I put on a good performance for them, and they went away impressed.”
Branch is not expected to be available when the Falcons pick 55th overall.
“Andre Branch is still developing, but he had a big year this year, doubled his sack production from a year ago,” ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said. “He had 10 1/2 sacks this past year, and he was not overly physical, but ... he’s quick off the ball.”
While Thompson and Branch are highly respected, South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram and North Carolina’s Quinton Coples, both defensive ends, are projected to be the first two defensive linemen selected.
There also is a good group of defensive tackles that includes Mississippi State’s Fletcher Cox, LSU’s Michael Brockers and Memphis’ Dontari Poe.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
