Only one team made a pick in last week's supplemental draft, and it was the Arizona Cardinals taking Washington State safety Jalen Thompson.
Thompson was expecting to go back to WSU for his senior season, but he was recently ruled ineligible for the upcoming NCAA year, so at the last minute he declared for the supplemental draft. Although he'll be a bit behind his fellow rookies since he didn't get to participate in OTAs, Thompson isn't worried about the missed time.
“I know I can compete with these guys, hang with them at a high level,” Thompson told azcardinals.com. “But for the most part, it’s getting the plays down and once I see it on the field and get through a couple of walkthroughs, I’m going to be fine. I know I will.”
Thompson also said he isn't getting hung up on what happened with his college eligibility.
“The whole Washington State thing, that happened, but now everything is speeding up and I’m happy to be here, happy to be around the guys and for the most part, I’m just ready to start working,” he said. “I was tired of all the training. It was time to work.”
The Cardinals used a fifth-round pick on Thompson, meaning they'll have to forfeit their fifth-round pick in next year's draft. Interestingly, the Cardinals also used a fifth-round pick on a safety back in April, Deionte Thompson from Alabama.
Thompson received a lot of interest from teams across the league, and reports indicated he likely would've been a third or fourth-round pick in the regular draft. The Cardinals took a risk on him, so they must be high on him as a prospect. It seems like he has a legit chance to earn playing time as a rookie in the Cardinals' new-look defense.
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