Bucs PR-KR Thompkins Reflects On Promising Debut

The undrafted rookie free agent made his NFL debut last Sunday after the Bucs decided to waive Jaleon Darden during the week. Thompkins made the most in his first ever game, returning five kickoffs for 123 yards and two punts for 21 yards. His highlight moment came on his kickoff return to open the second half as he brought the ball past midfield for a 54-yard return.

Thompkins, who has good speed, showed a willingness to take on contact and run up the middle as opposed to shying away from hits and opting to go for the sideline like Darden did. He was able to break tackles heading up the field and showed a physicality that the Bucs just weren’t getting from Darden in that role.

On Wednesday, Thompkins talked about the experience of his first game in the NFL.

“I was a little nervous – the first one, I was very nervous,” Thompkins said. “But then after I kind of got hit the first time and realized it’s just football, it’s nothing different.”

Thompkins had to wait his turn for this opportunity, but it seems like it has finally paid off. He had been with the team since training camp but didn’t make the 53-man roster after the preseason. The Bucs did like him enough to keep him on the practice squad, where he’s been all season until this big moment of his call up. He took advantage of that time to work on his whole game, which allowed him to relax as he progressed.

“I just trust the process and I kept on working,” Thompkins said. “I didn’t really worry about the noise around me, I kind of focused on what only I could. That also helps me with my game, too. Being able to be free and not have to worry about the pressure of messing up. It allows me to work on my craft and the little things that I need to work on.”

Thompkins May Get Offensive Snaps

Given the Bucs’ struggles on offense and the under-performance of some of their wide receivers, could Thompkins get some usage on offense for Tampa Bay as well?

“We’ll use him,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “We have him, we’ll use him. He can get in the game and play and you shouldn’t be surprised if he’s in the game because he has a good feel for it and he can do some things for us.”

Thompkins was the second-leading receiver in college football last year at Utah State. The 5-foot-8, 155-pound speedster had 102 catches for 1,704 yards (16.7 avg.) and 10 touchdowns during his senior year.

“Any time you can get some speed on the field, I feel like it adds an extra threat,” Thompkins said. “I’ll just wait to see what they do and hopefully I can get out there and make some more plays.”