In less than three weeks Brenen Thompson will know his immediate professional future. And, Mississippi State will know if a very, very long wait to see a Bulldog receiver drafted ends.
Thompson has put his college career in the rear view as he continues working towards the all-important National Football League draft looming ever larger in the front view. This year's draft is April 23-25 and held in Pittsburgh. The first day is only for round-one, while the second and third rounds are Friday and then fourth-through-seventh Saturday.
Of course the skill set speaks loudest at this point. Still Thompson has been talking a lot since settling on a professional course after the 2025 Mississippi State season. "I've talked to a bunch of teams, a bunch of scouts and a bunch of coaches," he said at campus Pro Day. "I've been so fortunate and so blessed to do so. I'm just excited to get to the next level."
Thompson made some fine and fast strides towards that level when he took advantage of invitation to the NFL's draft combine. There at Indianapolis he scorched the 40-yards in 4.26, as clocked by real judges whose stopwatches can make or break a prospect. He also posted a 1.54 split for ten yards.
And then he said he was disappointed with the time, never mind it was nearly a combine record. "All my times in training were faster than that."
But of course it is the speed he showed in uniform and on grass or turf which coaches measure. A record-setting season when he re-wrote the Mississippi State standard for receiving yards reveals Thompson's talents going long and fast.
Then again many a fast man has gone undrafted by the unforgiving professionals who have millions of dollars and their own careers hinging on correct choices. What then is the outsider consensus on just how valuable a draft target Thompson can be?
NFL.com has Thompson listed at 5-9 height and 164 pounds and grade him as an 'average backup or special-teamer' type pick. Their analyst wrote "With a career average of 39.8 yards per touchdown catch, there is no denying where his value lives. His acceleration phase is long-lasting, creating easy wins over the top and requiring safety involvement in man coverage. He struggles with traditional, non-vertical routes and finishing contested catches."
TheDraftNetwork has him at #100 overall rated but the #112 pick, which would be the fourth round, and going to Atlanta. The Falcons and Thompson did meet with the club's representatives before he ran at Indy. "Atlanta needs more depth at the wide receiver position, and they need to use either their third or fourth rounder on a pass-catcher if they hope to find someone to help this season."
CBS Sports pegs Thompson as the #48 prospect on the market. NFLdraftbuzz.com gives a 84.7 player rating and labeling him the 18th leading wideout as an outside/X receiver.
Per Profootballnetwork.com, Thompson ranks #142 overall and is the 20th wide receiver available, projecting he could go anywhere from the second to the fifth round in their mock simulations. And on the ESPN board he checks in at #158 overall.
Thompson's true size is one natural question mark as club war rooms get serious about winnowing down their targets lists for draft week. The is also a history of ankle and hamstring issues, and the perceived lack of versatility. Thompson has been working on fielding punts in training to increase his resume.
"I think I'm still dynamic. I can play the slot or I can play outside. Having the option to plug into pieces with a team that already established. And then doing work on special teams. I bring a lot of value to a team not only on the field but off the field as well."
Otherwise, he just waits for draft days to arrive.
"More Zoom, more ball, and get rolling."