James Thompson Jr.

James Thompson Jr. projects as an undrafted free agent priority with developmental upside as a rotational defensive lineman in a 3-4 front. His film shows consistent effort and gap integrity, but lacks the athletic tools or production volume to warrant draft capital. Teams seeking depth with positional flexibility and a willing pad-level technician should target him on day three or during UDFA signing, though his ceiling remains as a backup-level contributor.

Thompson's athletic testing likely reveals concerning burst metrics and lateral agility for the position, limiting his ceiling in complex NFL schemes. Playing at Illinois—a below-average competition level—raises questions about his ability to process faster reads and adjust against NFL-caliber linemen, compounded by modest production volume that doesn't offset the tape limitations.