Washington quarterback Kevin Thomson will join the Panthers for their rookie minicamp next week, as NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Thomson, who had previous stops at UNLV and Sacramento State, opted to turn pro this year over an eighth year of college eligibility.
Thomson, who turns 26 in September, was on track to win the Huskies’ starting job in 2020. Instead, an undisclosed injury (believed to be his ribs) sidelined him to start the year. It was familiar territory for Thomson, who battled through back issues and other maladies throughout his collegiate career.
After that, redshirt freshman Dylan Morris held on to the job for the rest of the pandemic-shortened slate. Thomson went undrafted as a result, but the Panthers quickly reached out on Day 3. Now older than Patrick Mahomes, he’ll fight for a spot on the Panthers’ depth chart behind Sam Darnold, P.J. Walker, Will Grier, and Tommy Stevens.
“When I was at UNLV going into my second year, I had Tommy John surgery. It put me out for several months and gave me time to reflect on what I really wanted and made me realize how passionate I was about football and how I wanted to continue to pursue it,” Thomson said recently (via Yahoo Sports). “I knew it would take a tremendous amount of work to get where I wanted to be, but I was willing to do that. So I think the injury really made me a better player overall since it forced me to do some self-reflection.”
Per Pelissero, these undrafted QBs will also show their stuff at rookie minicamps later this month:
- Mississippi State’s K.J. Costello (Chargers)
- Tulsa’s Zach Smith (Bills)
- Memphis’ Brady White (Titans)
- Monmouth’s Kenji Bahar (Ravens)
- San Jose State’s Josh Love (Browns; 2020 UDFA who spent last offseason with Rams)
“Thomson, who had previous stops at UNLV and Sacramento State, opted to turn pro this year over an eighth year of college eligibility.” EIGHTH??????
Unfortunately, if you’re injured often enough. The NCAA can keep giving you more years of eligibility. Blessing/curse.
I can’t think of anyone that’s even had 7 years of eligibility. I think Case Keenum had 6 though.
8 years of college… I’m interested to know what his major was.
Might have gotten a master’s by now, even started on a doctorate.
Van Wilder