Tennessee football: Early NFL Draft prediction for Bryce Thompson

For the last three seasons, the most talented defensive back in Tennessee football‘s locker room has been Bryce Thompson. Little did anyone know that UT’s 42-17 loss to the Texas A&M Aggies would be his last game as a Volunteer.

Last month, Thompson, who compiled eight interceptions and 102 tackles in 32 games during his career on Rocky Top, announced that he is forgoing his senior year and declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft. He made the news on social media.

Where will Thompson be drafted?

The decision to leave school early and pursue a career in the NFL is Thompson’s decision alone to make. With that being said, his announcement came as a surprise to many fans and supporters of the Tennessee football team. For all that he accomplished during the three seasons he spent in Knoxville, Thompson would likely benefit from another year in the SEC.

Thompson was without question the Vols’ best cover cornerback and has been for the past three years, but can we confidently say his game transitions to shutting down receivers in the NFL right now? That’s a stretch.

There’s no denying his ball skills and athleticism in the secondary. However, there were multiple games this season where he failed to cover NFL prospects lined up in front of him. How do you imagine NFL scouts will look at Thompson’s performance against Florida in Tennessee football’s 31-19 loss?

But this is a Vol site, and we like the 5’11” 190 pound defensive back from Irmo, S.C. His junior season was certainly nothing to gawk at, either. Thompson amassed 36 tackles, a forced fumble, and two interceptions in 2020, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

Also important, draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. predicts four defensive backs will be selected in the first round, which will help Thompson’s draft stock even as the selection process drags into the later rounds. We’ll give the UT standout a late-round nod here.

Prediction:

You have to go back to Iowa Hawkeyes cornerback Desmond King in 2017 to find the last time the Los Angeles Chargers drafted a cornerback. Now, with former Tennessee football defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley taking over the defensive back coaching responsibilities in LA, this makes sense as a potential landing spot for the former FWAA Freshman All-American.

We’ve labeled this as an “early” draft prediction because we plan to revisit Thompson and the other two Tennessee football prospect’s draft status closer to selection night. Between then and now, teams will interview players and get a better idea of who they’d like to select. Until then, this is where we think Thompson will land in the 2021 NFL Draft.