Mark Thompson (American football)

Last updated
Mark Thompson
No. 8 – Houston Roughnecks
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1994-12-09) December 9, 1994 (age 29)
La Mott, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school: Cheltenham (PA)
College: Nassau (2013)
Dodge City (2014–2015)
Florida (2016–2017)
Undrafted: 2018
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career USFL statistics as of 2023
Rush attempts:249
Rushing yards:1,118
Rushing touchdowns:16
Player stats at PFR

Mark Thompson (born December 9, 1994) is an American football running back for the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League (UFL).. He played college football at Dodge City and Florida and has also been a member of the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He was named the USFL Offensive Player of the Year and made All-USFL for the 2023 USFL season.

Contents

Early life

Thompson was born on December 9, 1994, in La Mott, Pennsylvania. [1] He attended Cheltenham High School and played football and track, but was not highly recruited. [2] [3] He graduated as part of the class of 2013, but was not able to participate in the graduation event due to an incident at school, which also kept him from playing in the senior football all-star game and the track district championships. [3]

College career

Thompson joined Nassau Community College after graduating from Cheltenham, but sensed it was not a good fit and transferred to Dodge City Community College before ever appearing in a game. [2] [4] In his first year with the Dodge City Conquistadors, he totaled 460 rushing yards on 84 carries with eight touchdowns. [5] The following season, Thompson became one of the best running backs in junior college football as he ran for 1,298 yards on 268 attempts with 18 scores, tied for the third-most in the NJCAA. [5] He set Dodge City's all-time career touchdowns record, was named an All-American and was ranked the number one junior college recruit at running back. [2] [6] He received numerous Division I offers and chose to play for the Florida Gators. [7]

Prior to the 2016 season, Thompson boldly predicted that he would rush for 1,000 yards by Florida's seventh game, against Georgia. [8] [9] By the time the Gators reached that game, Thompson had only rushed for 262 yards and two touchdowns, and he ended up missing the Georgia–Florida match after being suspended for marijuana possession. [8] [10] When he returned in their game against the South Carolina Gamecocks, he fumbled on his first carry. [8] His ability to hold onto the football became a recurring issue during the season and he began holding one during his school classes to practice. [8] Thompson's season ended on a high note, as he made an 85-yard receiving score during the Gators' Outback Bowl win over Iowa, setting the all-time record for longest catch in the game. [11] He finished the year with 12 games played, four as a starter, and posted 68 carries for 299 yards with two rushing touchdowns. [5]

Thompson had a slow start to his senior year, tallying just 33 rushes for 121 yards (an average of 3.7 yards-per-carry) through eight games, including two where he did not touch the ball once. [2] After Randy Shannon became the interim head coach, Thompson began to see more action. [2] In the final three games, he totaled 25 rush attempts for 176 yards, averaging more than seven yards-per-carry while scoring two of his three touchdowns on the year. [2] He finished his senior season having appeared in all 11 games, while posting 58 carries for 297 yards (a 5.1 average), placing third on the team. [5]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 1+7⁄8 in
(1.88 m)		232 lb
(105 kg)		32+3⁄4 in
(0.83 m)		9+5⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		4.52 s1.63 s2.66 s4.55 s7.14 s35.0 in
(0.89 m)		9 ft 11 in
(3.02 m)		16 reps
All values from Pro Day [12]

Baltimore Ravens

Prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, Thompson worked out with the Atlanta Falcons. [13] After going undrafted, he was signed by the Baltimore Ravens. [14] In preseason, he ran 31 times for 146 yards and caught 10 passes for 76 yards. [15] He was released at the final roster cuts. [16] After having tryouts on September 4, September 5 and September 11, Thompson was re-signed by the Ravens to their practice squad on October 18, 2018. [17] He was released from their practice squad on November 27, 2018. [17]

New York Jets

Thompson was signed to the practice squad of the New York Jets the following day after being released by Baltimore on November 28, 2018. [18]

Detroit Lions

Thompson signed a reserve/future contract with the Detroit Lions at the conclusion of the 2018 season. [15] Despite scoring multiple touchdowns in preseason, he was released at the final roster cuts in 2019. [19] [20] [21]

Baltimore Ravens (second stint)

Later, on September 10, 2019, Thompson was signed to the practice squad of the Baltimore Ravens. [22] He was placed on the practice squad/injured list on September 18, before being released on September 23, 2019. [17] [23]

Las Vegas Raiders

In January 2020, Thompson was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders to a reserve/future contract. [24] He was waived on April 28, 2020. [25] He had a tryout with the Carolina Panthers in September, but was not signed. [26]

Houston Gamblers / Roughnecks

2022

After being out of football for a year, Thompson was chosen in the 28th round (227th overall) of the 2022 USFL draft by the Houston Gamblers. [27] He served as the Gamblers' main running back, appearing in nine games and starting seven while posting a team-leading 114 rush attempts for 463 yards (a 4.1 average) with two rushing touchdowns. [28] He also scored two receiving touchdowns, which made him third on the team in total points scored (24, behind Isaiah Zuber and Nick Vogel). [28] The Gamblers finished with a record of 3–7, placing last in their division. [28]

2023

Thompson returned to the Gamblers for the 2023 season and became one of the best backs in the USFL. [6] He appeared in eight games, seven as a starter, and carried the ball 135 times for 655 yards (a 4.9 average) while scoring a league-leading 14 touchdowns. [29] His rushing touchdowns total set the spring football record for the 21st century. [30] Thompson was named the USFL's offensive player of the week one time and finished with the second-highest total of rushing yards in the league, while also leading in rushing yards-per-game at 81.6. [31] [30] He was selected to the All-USFL team for his performance and was named the USFL Offensive Player of the Year. [30] [32]

On July 17, 2023, the New York Giants hosted Thompson for a workout. [33]

Thompson became a free agent after the 2023 season and re-signed on December 24, 2023. [34] Thompson and all other Houston Gamblers players and coaches were all transferred to the Houston Roughnecks after it was announced that the Gamblers took on the identity of their XFL counterpart, the Roughnecks. [35]

2024

Due to a knee sprain, Thompson missed the first three games of the season. [36] In his first game back against the Arlington Renegades, Thompson had 9 carries for 34 yards, and 1 touchdown, along with 1 reception for 5 yards in the 17-9 win. [37]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Forsett</span> American football player (born 1985)

Justin Forsett is an American former football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL draft. Forsett also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and Denver Broncos. Forsett's best season came in 2014 as a member of the Ravens, when he was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate after finishing the season with career highs in carries (235), rushing yards (1,266) and touchdowns (8).

Lionel Vital is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. He is currently the General Manager of the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League (UFL). He was a member of the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also was a scout and director of personnel in the NFL. He played college football at Nicholls State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Davis (running back)</span> American football player (born 1986)

James Andrew Davis is a former American football running back. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson. He was also a member of the Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, and Detroit Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Gillislee</span> American football player (born 1990)

Michael B. Gillislee Jr. is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Florida. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latavius Murray</span> American football player (born 1990)

Latavius Rashard Murray is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at UCF and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft, with whom he would earn Pro Bowl honors in 2015. He was also a member of the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Collins (American football)</span> American football player (1994–2023)

Alex Collins was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 171st overall pick. He spent two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens in 2017 and 2018 before re-signing by Seattle in 2020. He played one season with the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League (USFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalvin Cook</span> American football player (born 1995)

Dalvin James Cook is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning unanimous All-American honors and finishing his career as the school's all-time leading rusher. Cook was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, and in six seasons with the team, he earned Pro Bowl honors four times. He is the older brother of Buffalo Bills running back James Cook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenyan Drake</span> American football player (born 1994)

Kenyan Drake is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Drake was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teez Tabor</span> American football player (born 1995)

Jalen "Teez" Tabor is an American football safety for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Florida, and was selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bo Scarbrough</span> American football player (born 1994)

Bo Scarbrough is a former American football running back. He played college football at Alabama before a four year National Football League (NFL) career, largely for the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. Following his tenure in the NFL, Scarbrough played two seasons in the USFL with the Birmingham Stallions, winning back to back USFL Championships.

Teo Redding is an American football wide receiver for the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He attended Michigan Collegiate High School. He played college football at Bowling Green and was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He has also been a member of the Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers, New York Guardians, and Montreal Alouettes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Ta'amu</span> American football player (born 1997)

Jordan Taalolo Ta'amu-Perifanos is an American football quarterback for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels. Ta'amu has been a member of several National Football League (NFL) teams and has started for the St. Louis BattleHawks and Defenders of the XFL and Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League (USFL). With the Bandits, he led the 2022 USFL season in passing yardage and touchdowns. Ta'amu was named XFL Offensive Player of the Year following the 2023 XFL season with the Defenders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalyn Dawkins</span> American football player (born 1994)

Dalyn Daeel Dawkins is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Colorado State.

Augustus Edwards is a Liberian American football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami (FL) before transferring to Rutgers and signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Edwards' nickname is "Gus the Bus"; he is known for his large size and "bruising" running style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La'Mical Perine</span> American football player (born 1998)

La'Mical Perine is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators and was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Wesley Ed Hills is an American professional gridiron football running back for the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for Delaware and Slippery Rock. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and played for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL).

Osirus Mitchell is an American football wide receiver. He played college football at Mississippi State. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. He had stints with the Green Bay Packers, Birmingham Stallions and Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League (USFL), and the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL. While with the Stallions he was a USFL champion.

Nate McCrary is an American football running back for the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Saginaw Valley State.

Kenji Bahar is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at Monmouth University.

B. J. Emmons is an American professional football running back for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Florida Atlantic, Hutchinson Community College, and Alabama. Emmons has also been a member four different NFL teams; the Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans. In the USFL he played for the Tampa Bay Bandits.

References

  1. ↑ "Mark Thompson Stats". Pro Football Archives.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Savitsky, Tyler (December 20, 2017). "From JUCO to Florida, Mark Thompson Has Persevered". WRUF.
  3. 1 2 Souder, Mary Jane (December 18, 2015). "Cheltenham's Thompson to Play FB at University of Florida". Suburban One League.
  4. ↑ Robinson, Andrew (December 16, 2015). "Long road to Gainesville complete for Cheltenham's Thompson". PA Prep Live.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Mark Thompson". Florida Gators.
  6. 1 2 Young, R. J. (May 19, 2023). "No longer 'lost in the shuffle,' Gamblers' Mark Thompson is dominating USFL". United States Football League.
  7. ↑ Hall, Graham (August 13, 2016). "Thompson sets lofty goal". The Gainesville Sun .
  8. 1 2 3 4 Thompson, Edgar (March 22, 2017). "Gators' Thompson humbled, hungry". The Orlando Sentinel . p. C3 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  9. ↑ Andreu, Robbie (October 31, 2017). "Now you're talking". The Gainesville Sun .
  10. ↑ "Florida's Thompson won't play vs Georgia after drug citation". The Hamilton Spectator . The Canadian Press. October 28, 2016.
  11. ↑ Cohen, Ian (January 3, 2017). "Gators' Thompson sets record". Sun Sentinel . p. C5 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. ↑ "2018 NFL Draft Scout Mark Thompson College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  13. ↑ Weaver, Tim (April 18, 2018). "Falcons working out Florida RB prospect Mark Thompson". USA Today .
  14. ↑ "Mark Thompson Signs with NFL's Baltimore Ravens as Undrafted Free Agent". Cheltenham Township School District. June 19, 2018.
  15. 1 2 Gerber, Max (July 21, 2019). "Lions long shots: RB Mark Thompson". USA Today .
  16. ↑ Mink, Ryan (September 2, 2018). "Ravens Assemble Their 2018 Practice Squad". Baltimore Ravens.
  17. 1 2 3 "Mark Thompson Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com .
  18. ↑ Talarico, Anthony (November 29, 2018). "Jets replace James Carpenter with Ben Braden, add RB to practice squad". USA Today .
  19. ↑ Rieken, Kristie (August 17, 2019). "Texans edge Lions in second preseason game". WXYZ-TV.
  20. ↑ Wolcott, Bill (August 23, 2019). "Final score, recap: Buffalo Bills 24, Detroit Lions 20". Democrat and Chronicle .
  21. ↑ Rogers, Justin (August 31, 2019). "Lions' initial 53-man roster includes three QBs, Josh Johnson as backup". The Detroit News .
  22. ↑ Brown, Clifton (September 10, 2019). "Ravens Sign Two Players to Practice Squad". Baltimore Ravens.
  23. ↑ Oyefusi, Daniel (September 18, 2019). "Chiefs coach Andy Reid says Ravens have 'opened the gate' for quarterback Lamar Jackson". The Baltimore Sun .
  24. ↑ Damien, Levi (April 28, 2020). "Raiders release RB Mark Thompson, opening up fifth roster spot for undrafted free agents". USA Today .
  25. ↑ LaMarre, Tom (April 29, 2020). "Raiders Waive RB Mark Thompson". Sports Illustrated .
  26. ↑ Talbot, Damond (September 29, 2020). "Breaking: Former Florida Gators RB Mark Thompson will workout for the Panthers". NFLDraftDiamonds.com.
  27. ↑ Mink, Ryan (February 23, 2022). "10 Former Ravens Drafted Into the United States Football League". Baltimore Ravens.
  28. 1 2 3 "2022 Houston Gamblers (USFL)". Pro Football Archives.
  29. ↑ "Mark Thompson Stats". footballdb.com.
  30. 1 2 3 "Former Conquistador Runningback, Mark Thompson Earns All-USFL Offense Honors". Dodge City Conquistadors. June 22, 2023.
  31. ↑ "USFL Players of the Week: Mark Thompson, Deon Cain dazzle in Week 4". Fox Sports . May 8, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Mark Thompson, Frank Ginda are USFL's Offensive, Defensive Players of the Year". Fox Sports . June 28, 2023.
  33. ↑ Traina, Patricia (July 17, 2023). "Giants to Host RB Mark Thompson, USFL Offensive MVP, for Workout". Sports Illustrated .
  34. ↑ Larsen, James (2023-12-25). "Houston Gamblers Re-Sign RB Mark Thompson In FA Twist". Pro Football Newsroom. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  35. ↑ "United Football League Reveals Team Markets and Head Coaches for 2024 Season". www.xfl.com. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  36. ↑ https://www.si.com/fannation/ufl/news/houston-roughnecks-name-jarrett-guarantano-starting-quarterback-mark-thompson-injured
  37. ↑ https://www.foxsports.com/ufl/week-4-arlington-renegades-vs-houston-roughnecks-apr-21-2024-game-boxscore-16
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.