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Notes from Mykkele Thompson's Scrimmage (Story)

  • By Jeff Howe

    SAN ANTONIO -- Longhorn commit Mykkele Thompson and the Stevens Falcons lost to San Antonio Wagner today during the live quarter session of their scrimmage in Converse, 14-6.

    Thompson and Stevens head coach Lee Bridges said they were both not entirely pleased with the scrimmage, but the team and Mykkele did some nice things.

    Thompson looks as good as ever physically. He's 6-2, 183 pounds after gaining some added muscle and even looks bigger now than he looked when Stevens played in the Red Bull 7on7 event in June. He’s a quick-twitch athlete with subtle explosiveness and he possesses high point ball skills that should translate well when he moves to defensive back.

    He'll play defensive back at Texas but he won't this year for the Falcons. Bridges said they are going to use him on offense. Thompson had some nice runs in the scrimmage including a couple of 35-40 yard bursts that showed his big-play ability.

    “On a few of his runs he really made some guys look silly,” Bridges said. “He was all over the place running and he did some nice things throwing the ball.”

    Thompson will likely be one of the tougher recruits in the class to evaluate this season because he won't be playing the same position as a high school senior that he will at Texas. Even more so than a guy like John Harris, Thompson is flipping to the defensive side of the ball, but he appears to have what it takes to play in the secondary for the Longhorns.

    He won't be near as experienced as Carrington Byndom is in the secondary but Thompson to be is the same type of young man. He’s a hard worker, a quiet leader and he’s extremely intelligent. Throw in the fact that Duane Akina loves Thompson's potential as a 6-2 corner with ball skills and you see what he'll be starting with when he gets to Austin.

    Thompson's play at quarterback was solid, but Bridges admitted that he and his staff didn't game plan extensively for the scrimmage.

    “It was a typical scrimmage,” Bridges said. “Most coaches don’t game plan a whole lot for these things. There were some blitzes we didn’t pick up where we’d normally have hot reads and things like that, but we felt like we got some good things done.”

    Thompson’s lone big mistake was on a play where he dropped the snap and threw a pick on a play that both Bridges and Thompson said the future Longhorn shouldn't have tried to make.

    “I did alright,” Thompson said. “The main thing for me take from this is now I have more things I can go back and work on. I think it was just important to get out there and see another opponent that wasn’t our own defense.”

    With Thompson being in the San Antonio area, he was thrilled when he heard the news Wednesday night that Cibolo Steele running back Malcolm brown had committed to the Longhorns.

    “I called him and congratulated him,” said Thompson, who said he’s known Brown since the two were sophomore and met through running track against each other. “I told him I was happy he finally did it.”

    Thompson said he’s ready for Stevens’ season opener next Friday against San Antonio Roosevelt. He added that he’s ready to show off his athletic ability behind center in his first regular season game since committing to Texas.

    “I love being out there because the atmosphere takes you over and everything comes to you,” Thompson said. “Once you get jitters out after that first series everything slows down and I’m looking forward to getting out there.”

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    E-mail: jeffwhowe@gmail.com Twitter: @JeffHowe247

    Jeff Howe

  • A couple of Stevens kids to keep an eye on this season - 2011 WR Kenny Bias (6-2, athletic and can go get the ball; has an offer from Army), 2011 S Andrew Williamson (a 6-2, 190 pound safety with great grades who is sure to get some looks soon), 2012 ATH Derek Mann (will play offense but could also slide over to the secondary), and 2012 OG Darrell Zemault (a guard prospect all the way at 6-2, 310, but he's very nasty in the run game).

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    E-mail: jeffwhowe@gmail.com Twitter: @JeffHowe247

    Jeff Howe

  • Do you think he has the hips to play corner? I think he's a safety/receiver at the next level.

    HenryJamesBC

  • HenryJamesBC said...

    Do you think he has the hips to play corner? I think he's a safety/receiver at the next level.

    Akina said he is trying him there first.

    76-37-5

    ut755

  • Jeff, what do you think he is long term - corner, safety or receiver? Or up in the air?

    Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BobbyBurton247

    BobbyBurton

  • From what I've seen, I think he ends up at receiver.

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    SizzleTheft

  • If he ends up at receiver...color me disappointed (x100).

    MBarnett

  • An FYI, Jeff was at the Belton-Waco High scrimmage tonight. That's why he hasn't responded to the Q's.

    National Director of Scouting & Recruiting Analyst @GerryHam247

    Gerry Hamilton

  • What do you guys think of Mykkele vs. other guys like David Jenkins or Charles Jackson? Are they even comparable since it looks like Mykkele will be a safety and Jackson/Jenkins are corners?

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    Silky Johnson

  • Long term I view Thompson much of the same way I view Bryant Jackson - you can try them at corner but I like them better at safety. I know its easy to be intrigued by a 6-2 corner with the type of ball skills he has, but I like his range at safety.

    Not sure if he's got the hips or the ability to use his hands and take away separation to play corner, but we'll see. The thing is he's going to be pretty inexperienced back there regardless and like Jackson, coach Akina is probably going to need a year to get him adjusted to playing the position full time.

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    E-mail: jeffwhowe@gmail.com Twitter: @JeffHowe247

    Jeff Howe

  • Receiver I don't think is out of the question, but with the WR depth I think it would take something pretty significant to get him to move over there.

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    E-mail: jeffwhowe@gmail.com Twitter: @JeffHowe247

    Jeff Howe

  • Here are a few updated pics of Mykkele.

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    E-mail: jeffwhowe@gmail.com Twitter: @JeffHowe247

    Jeff Howe

  • Only a couple of guys ever make it as a corner that are that big. Bobby Taylor and Gary Baxter come to mind from the state of Texas. Jammer was a big corner. All three of those guys were successful long jumpers, same as Thompson. May be nothing, but it's something to consider.

    Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BobbyBurton247

    BobbyBurton

  • BobbyBurton said...

    Only a couple of guys ever make it as a corner that are that big. Bobby Taylor and Gary Baxter come to mind from the state of Texas. Jammer was a big corner. All three of those guys were successful long jumpers, same as Thompson. May be nothing, but it's something to consider.

    Interesting point. Noted for sure.

    National Director of Scouting & Recruiting Analyst @GerryHam247

    Gerry Hamilton

  • BobbyBurton said...

    Only a couple of guys ever make it as a corner that are that big. Bobby Taylor and Gary Baxter come to mind from the state of Texas. Jammer was a big corner. All three of those guys were successful long jumpers, same as Thompson. May be nothing, but it's something to consider.

    Mykkele Thompson is indeed a very good long jumper. Finished 5th at state last year and 6th as a sophomore.

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    E-mail: jeffwhowe@gmail.com Twitter: @JeffHowe247

    Jeff Howe