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Cleveland Browns should take a long look at Jalen Thompson

By Dan Justik

BERKELEY, CA - OCTOBER 13: Vic Wharton III #17 of the California Golden Bears carries the ball looking to avoid the tackle of Jalen Thompson #34 of the Washington State Cougars during the first quarter of their NCAA football game at California Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2017 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
BERKELEY, CA - OCTOBER 13: Vic Wharton III #17 of the California Golden Bears carries the ball looking to avoid the tackle of Jalen Thompson #34 of the Washington State Cougars during the first quarter of their NCAA football game at California Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2017 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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The supplemental draft typically only has a few players selected, but the Cleveland Browns should consider adding Jalen Thompson in this year’s draft.

The NFL’s supplemental draft does not often boast talent that teams decide to use draft picks on. But for the Cleveland Browns, that could be different this year when it comes to Jalen Thompson.

The Washington State defensive back recently put his name into the supplemental draft pool after losing the final year of his college eligibility due to buying an over-the-counter supplement at a local nutrition store. However, the supplement reportedly was not a steroid.

For most teams, that incident will not be a concern if they are considering selecting Thompson in the supplemental draft. And in the case of the Browns, selecting Thompson could be a good addition to their defense.

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Thompson was an extremely productive player during his time at Washington State. During his three seasons, he played 39 games and made 191 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, six interceptions and 23 passes defensed. The safety earned All-PAC-12 honors his sophomore and junior seasons.

The Browns have done a lot of work over the past two offseasons to rebuild their secondary. Last offseason, the focus was adding cornerbacks. This offseason, the Browns front office focused on retooling the safety position, as well as finding versatile players. Thompson would fit in with the trend of adding versatile defensive backs.

Washington State utilized Thompson all over their defense, including covering the slot as well as putting him in the box. Browns defensive coordinator Steve Wilks is expected to play with an extra defensive back on the field and needs that player to play in multiple spots on the defense. If the Browns select Thompson, he would fit the mold of that player.

Thompson would also be an insurance policy for the future of Cleveland’s safety position. With Damarious Randall entering the final year of his deal and the Browns being tight on cap space in the next few seasons, it is unknown if the two sides will be able to come to an agreement on a deal. Randall is a valuable member of the defense, but he could play himself into a contract the Browns may not be able to afford.

Morgan Burnett will be the starter opposite of Randall in 2019, but he is heading towards the back-end of his career and is only on a two-year deal, with a potential out after 2019. If the Browns move on from either Burnett or Randall, Thompson could be viewed as a potential replacement for either position.

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Thompson may generate a lot of interest in the supplemental draft, making it more difficult for the Browns to have the highest bid to select him. But for what Thompson could provide to the Browns defense, he is worth a long look from John Dorsey and the rest of the front office.

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