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Tennessee football: Five best NFL landing spots for Bryce Thompson

By Dean Zulkofske

Oct 12, 2019; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Bryce Thompson (20) celebrates in the second quarter in a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2019; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Bryce Thompson (20) celebrates in the second quarter in a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 17, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in overtime at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in overtime at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

3.) Los Angeles Chargers

Skipping over to the other professional football team that now calls Los Angeles, Calif. home, the Chargers are in far greater need of a player of Thompson’s ability. Nine total picks in the 2021 NFL Draft suggests they could take a shot at him.

Just as connections lead to jobs in the real world, the same principle rings in professional sports. Derrick Ansley, who served as Tennessee football’s defensive backs coach from 2019-2020, now holds the same position with the Chargers. The unique connection makes Los Angeles a team to watch for on Thompson’s draft radar.

The Chargers have names lined up under CB on their depth chart, but their secondary overall is quite thin. Only three players are listed under the team’s two safety positions. If Ansley were to move players around, they’d need depth players to fill in those gaps. Thompson makes perfect sense as a young, versatile player in that scenario.

Los Angeles was top 10 in offensive passing yards allowed per game in 2020. But now, new head coach Brandon Staley is taking over, and with him, a new defensive backs coach with ties to the Tennessee football program. Don’t be surprised if Thompson is wearing a powder blue jersey next to his college position coach this fall.

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