PLAYER PROFILE
Shaq Thompson is a linebacker for the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League. He played college football for the Washington Huskies, earning first-team All-American honors in 2014. Thompson also briefly played baseball with the Boston Red Sox's rookie team in the Gulf Coast League. Since being drafted, he has played a hybrid role for the Panthers, combining safety and linebacker duties in a position known as "the Big Nickel."
Shaq Thompson was born in Sacramento, California, and attended Grant Union High School, where he excelled in football, track, and baseball. He was named first-team All-American by Rivals.com, Parade, and USA Today, and second-team All-American by MaxPreps.com and Sports Illustrated. He was one of six finalists for the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award. Thompson earned Player of the Year honors from The Sacramento Bee and the Delta Valley League. As a sophomore, he helped his team achieve a 12–1 record. As a junior, he rushed for 1,882 yards and 25 touchdowns, leading Grant to an 8–4 record and the quarterfinals of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs. In 2011, he was named the Delta Valley League MVP. In his senior year, he made 57 tackles while rushing for 1,134 yards and 15 touchdowns, and passing for 893 yards and eight touchdowns. He played in the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl after graduating.
Thompson was a highly sought-after recruit and regarded as a five-star prospect. Scout.com ranked him the No. 1 safety and the No. 3 overall prospect in the country. Rivals.com listed him as the No. 1 safety and the No. 4 overall recruit in the country, and the No. 1 prospect in California. SuperPrep ranked him No. 4 overall and named him the Far West Defensive Player of the Year. Initially committed to the University of California, Berkeley, Thompson later chose the University of Washington on January 31, 2012.
Thompson played for the University of Washington from 2012 to 2014, where he showcased his versatility by playing safety, slot corner, linebacker, and running back. In his junior year, he won the Paul Hornung Award and was recognized as an All-American.
As a freshman in 2012, Thompson received an honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference and was named second-team Freshman All-American by FoxSportsNext.com. He also earned the Travis Spring Most Outstanding Freshman award at the team banquet. He began his college career as a nickel back, starting his first college game against San Diego State and making seven tackles, including two for a loss. He also made a critical, late-game interception and returned it 33 yards to secure a win against Cal. Thompson put in a strong performance against Washington State with eight tackles, one sack, and a fumble recovery he returned 21 yards.
In 2013, during his sophomore season, Thompson played in every game and started all but one as a linebacker. He was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 and received the team's Chuck Niemi Big Hit Award. Notably, he scored on an 80-yard interception return against Oregon State, where he also made four tackles. In the Apple Cup win over Washington State, he recorded six tackles and made eight tackles in the Fight Hunger Bowl victory over BYU.
In his final year at Washington in 2014, Thompson won the Paul Hornung Award, which is awarded to the nation's most versatile player. He was named first-team All-America by ESPN, CBS Sports, Scout.com, and SB Nation. He announced on January 5, 2015, that he would forgo his senior year to enter the 2015 NFL Draft. He scored six touchdowns that season, two as a running back and four on defense (one interception return and three fumble returns).
The Carolina Panthers selected Thompson with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He was the third outside linebacker chosen in 2015 and the seventh edge rusher selected. Once he arrived, Thompson competed with A.J. Klein for the starting outside linebacker position. Head coach Ron Rivera appointed Thompson as the starting strongside linebacker, alongside Thomas Davis Sr. and middle linebacker Luke Kuechly.
Thompson made his professional regular-season debut and first career start in the Panthers' opening game, a 20–9 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On September 27, 2015, he recorded a season-high seven combined tackles and notched his first career sack on Drew Brees during a win against the New Orleans Saints. In Week 6, he collected four tackles before leaving the game with a knee sprain. The injury sidelined him for the next two games. On January 3, 2016, Thompson matched his season-high with seven tackles in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He concluded his rookie season with 50 combined tackles (32 solo), two pass deflections, and a sack in 14 games and 10 starts.
After his tremendous Rookie Season, it was clear that Shaq would be become a centerpiece of the Panthers defense, and he didn't disappoint! In 2023, Shaq completed his 9th year in the NFL with the Panthers and hold career stats of 717 tackles, 12 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, & 52 tackles for loss over 119 games! We are so proud to welcome Shaq Thompson to our camp in 2024 at Wake Forest University from June 15th-17th! Don't miss out on meeting Shaq Thompson, Willie Parker, and other NFL Pros! Register below!
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