JaQuinton Thompson considers himself as a “wreaking havoc” type of player. He finds a way to get into the backfield and make plays, whether that is getting a sack, stuffing the run, or making the Quarterback make an errant throw. Basically, he finds a way to cause disruption.

The Senior Defensive End for Tusculum University has a prized strong suit, pre-play reading and reacting fast. He focuses on the neck up of his offensive opponents to analyze plays before the snap. At 6’3” and 250 pounds, he has a quick get off from the snap and has exceptional pursuit skills to track down the ball carrier. Thompson also considers himself a team leader. When any adversity hits, he wants to make sure that his teammates stay positive and keep their focus on the tasks at hand.

During Thompson’s Junior season, he recorded 22 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Last year, Thompson said that he definitely showed up and and played to the best of his ability, but this year he wants to show out and make a much larger impact. He has been feeding off the positive energy that he finished last season with so he can double his grind and production for his Senior year.

Thompson has been a gym rat this offseason as he has been in the weight room heavily, preparing his body for a long season. Outside of the gym, he has been working on defensive lineman skills with his trainer to perfect all the techniques needed to succeed at the collegiate level. His goals for this season are to lead the conference in sacks, and to get noticed and invited to Senior Bowl games for extra exposure, so he can accomplish his ultimate goal of playing professional football.