Ask Boise State free safety Darian Thompson what his strengths are, and he does not need much time to ponder the question.
“I know if I continue to work hard, and stay dedicated to the game, things will work out,” Thompson said. “I’m ready to go anywhere.”
Mocking the Draft: Round Two Finale
via fansided
I had planned to finish Round Two in Thursday’s post, but somehow got stuck on Blake Martinez. So here are the final two Round Two prospects I will cover, both safeties:
USA Today Sports
Darian Thompson, S
The first picture I chose for this article wasn’t high enough resolution to look good, but it contained a couple of things I really liked—Thompson and his long-time girlfriend were both dressed in academic robes, as they were graduating, and they were holding their sweet baby girl, Novah.
But this photo is nice too. It does, however, demonstrate one of the major flaws in this prospect.
Perhaps this flaw can be dealt with by hiring Brett Keisel to mentor this young man. Because either you have a beard or you don’t, son. Don’t mess around with that thing if that’s all you can manage. Man up and shave!
Sorry for the tangent, but if you’re looking at a player’s, well, looks, you really have to point out fixable flaws.
After all, few players drafted after No. 5 in the first round are going to be perfect. (I’ve noted some commentators saying there are really only about 15 guys in this draft deserving of a first-round grade.) The question is, are their problems something that can be dealt with in a timely way? In Thompson’s case, I think it would take about five minutes.
On a more serious note, there really is a lot to like about this prospect. An article by Chadd Cripe in the Idaho Statesman noted:
Darian Thompson’s life goal is simple. Be successful.
The path didn’t matter: football, a sport he loved but faced doubts about his size; baseball, where he was a left-handed pitcher with an 85-mph fastball; or the working world, where he hoped to have the advantage of the first college degree in his family.
Neither did obstacles. He knew his family couldn’t afford a private high school or college, but he attended both with grants and scholarships because of his academic and athletic performances.
And there’s little doubt that his life to this point has been a success. At 22, the Boise State senior safety is a college graduate (health science), second-team All-American, Mountain West career record holder (19 interceptions), two-time defensive team MVP and NFL Draft prospect.
I love stories like this. I tend to think that guys like this who didn’t have an easy path are going to be more realistic about what it takes to succeed in the NFL. As his mother was quoted in the same article:
Anything that he wanted, he worked for. Since he was 7, he wanted to play in the NFL, and now it looks like he’s going to get there. He’s just driven.
It wasn’t easy or obvious:
Thompson grew up in Lancaster, Calif., in north Los Angeles County. Shannon was determined her four kids wouldn’t get sidetracked by the nearby drugs and violence and found a way to get them a better education than they would have received in the local public high school.
She emailed Dahlia to inquire about sending Thompson, her oldest, to Paraclete, a Catholic school with a zero-tolerance policy for fighting and dogs that search for drugs. It’s also a college preparatory school, so Thompson had to meet the academic requirements.
“When he got accepted to Paraclete, it changed everything for him,” Shannon said.
He has few illusions:
“Life wasn’t perfect,” he said. “My mom always made sure we had food to eat, clothes to wear, and that’s all that really matters. We didn’t have the luxuries of a lot of the other kids, and I truly believe now that I’m thankful for that because I think that plays into why I work so hard and why if I set my mind on something, I go and get it. It’s because I never had anything handed to me.”
But how about the footbally stuff?
NFL.com graded him out at 5.52. Their analysis:
Thompson does his best work near the line of scrimmage and has the frame and demeanor to become a box safety in the league, but it might take time.
In an article by Jame Kratch for NJ.com, Thompson assesses himself:
Why not to the Steelers?
And although such minor considerations don’t usually factor into my BLA posts, the Steelers did bring Thompson in for a visit this past week. Perhaps they wanted him to meet Brett Keisel…
Tyvis Powell, SNo complaints on the hirsuitical front, or lack thereof. So we can get right to Tyvis Powell the man.Powell is a Buckeye, and from what I can tell it isn’t a proper draft for the Steelers if they don’t draft at least one Ohio State guy. But obviously we need more than well-chosen facial hair and a red uni to base our decision on.
So here’s what I discovered about him.
Safeties coach Chris Ash said this about Powell, in a cleveland.com article:
“My first impression was that I thought he was kind of a clown,” Ash told the Northeast Ohio Media Group this summer. “Because until you really get to know Tvyis, that’s the impression you get. Because he is very intelligent, he’s very witty and he makes good jokes.”
Despite his first-round draft pick status, Wisconsin forward Sam Dekker still had to mow the lawn at his family’s house over the weekend. Apparently, Dekker isn’t the only star Big Ten athlete who doubles as the family landscaper, and Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell thinks his grass cutting skills are better.
Just saw the Sam Dekker post on sports center. No way he can cut the grass better than me! #GuessHisMomDontPlayEither
— Tyvis Powell (@1Tyvis) June 29, 2015
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Powell is a frequent Twitterer, if the amount of time it took to scroll through his account back to June of 2015 is any indication, and if the tweets I glanced at along the way are representative, he uses it pretty well. I was vastly amused to see this retweet:
I’m as humble as they get, but I’m aware of my value…
— Le’Veon Bell (@L_Bell26) March 31, 2016
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I may have to suggest last fall’s article on “humble” to all our prospects as a reading assignment. But in reality I think that ship has sailed.
But let’s talk about some footbally stuff. Powell was a captain at Ohio State last season. He was one of a pair of safeties (with Vonn Bell) that terrorized opposing quarterbacks. He impressed at the Senior Bowl—and was eligible for it as a three-year player because he had graduated. Here’s what WalterFootball said:
At the combine, Powell really helped himself with a faster-than-expected 40 time. He has good size for the NFL and was a productive 2-year starter for the Buckeyes. Powell notched 71 tackles with three passes broken up and three interceptions in 2015. The previous season, he had 76 tackles with four pass breakups and four interceptions. Powell, who could be a riser throughout the draft process, had a quality week at the Senior Bowl.
NFL.com graded him at 5.35, and said:
Powell has the size and athleticism, but his instincts need some work and he has to become a more physical, downhill hitter. His overall intelligence and knack for making plays at critical times won’t hurt his cause.
I’m really liking this guy. And this second round class. Can I have one of each?
To be continued. To see my coverage of Round One, click here and here and here.
