Why Skylar Thompson could be the first Kansas State QB picked in NFL Draft since 2009
Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman doesn’t know when or if Skylar Thompson will be selected in the NFL Draft later this week, but he won’t let that stop him from making a bold prediction about Thompson’s potential future as a professional quarterback.
“Skylar will be on a roster and have a great opportunity to stick on a roster,” Klieman said. “I couldn’t tell you where he’s at, as far as if he’s going to be a mid-round guy or a free-agent guy. I just know the kid is a winner. He is flat out a winner and he is going to make everybody around him better.”
Few have championed Thompson more as a future NFL quarterback than Klieman. That makes sense, seeing as how Thompson started a school-record 40 games for the Wildcats and left Manhattan as the only player in program history to throw for 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards.
Thompson led K-State to a pair of eight-win seasons under Klieman. Along the way, he reminded his coach of some of his former North Dakota State quarterbacks who made it to the NFL: Trey Lance, Easton Stick and Carson Wentz.
Of those three names, Thompson most closely resembles Stick, a fifth-round pick in 2019 who has spent the past three years as a backup quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Klieman is so confident in Thompson that he thinks he can make an impact at the next level without starting.
“Even if he’s not the guy,” Klieman said. “I know the experience of being hurt and helping Will Howard game plan and helping (offensive coordinator Collin) Klein game plan and getting things ready will help him. He will make a great addition to a quarterback room.”
We will soon find out if any professional general managers see that same kind of potential in Thompson.
NFL scouts have been doing their homework on Thompson since his college career ended with 259 passing yards and three touchdowns against LSU at the Texas Bowl in January. From there, he played in the East/West Shrine Game, participate in the NFL Draft Scouting Combine and then showed off his skills at K-State’s pro day.
Thompson thinks close to a dozen teams are “really interested” in drafting him. He interviewed with a full room of team personnel when he met with the Detroit Lions and the Houston Texans.
Thompson thinks he handled all his workouts and interviews well. He enjoyed drawing plays on white boards with NFL coaches and talking strategy. He thinks playing in Klieman’s pro-style offense has prepared him for the next level.
The strangest question he heard along the way? Does he prefer cats or dogs? His answer: dogs, because cats are selfish. None of that stuff fazed him.
“I get to do what I love,” Thompson said. “I get to talk football with some of the best football people in the entire world. To walk around and see Bill Belichick and be in the same room with these guys, it’s a dream come true. I just try to soak it in and be true to myself and show people who I am as a person and a player.”
There doesn’t seem to be a consensus on Thompson’s draft potential. Some projections have him going in the middle rounds as an early Saturday pick. Others don’t have him being selected at all.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper ranks Thompson as the 10th best quarterback prospect in the draft.
His strengths include experience and intelligence. He is also excellent at protecting the football and fast enough to make plays with his legs.
On the other end of the spectrum, he is already 25 years old and he was injury prone throughout his college career.
Fortunately, his body has healed since he missed 10 games over the past two seasons. He said he had never felt stronger after he threw in front of NFL scouts at K-State’s pro day.
Depending on how many teams are looking for quarterbacks in the late rounds, he could become the first K-State quarterback to get drafted since Josh Freeman in 2009. Or he could join a roster as an undrafted free agent.
For that reason, he isn’t entering the draft without any expectations. He just wants an opportunity.
“Obviously, my goal is to be drafted,” Thompson said. “It’s everybody’s goal. I’m more focused on just being in the right fit and it being a great fit for me. If somebody gives me an opportunity to step my foot in the door and showcase what I can do, that’s all I can ask for. I’ve definitely done enough to get that opportunity. What that looks like, I have no idea ... But whenever that time comes, I’m going to be ready for it and do my best.”
This story was originally published April 26, 2022 at 10:44 AM with the headline "Why Skylar Thompson could be the first Kansas State QB picked in NFL Draft since 2009."