Former Red Sox Prospect Shaq Thompson Drafted by the Carolina Panthers
Former Red Sox prospect Shaq Thompson struck out 37 times in 39 career at bats as a professional baseball player. His future on the football field looks a lot more promising.
The Carolina Panthers used the 25th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft on Thompson, a linebacker from Washington with the coverage skills NFL teams covet in defending the pass. The 228 pound Thompson joins a loaded linebacker group in Carolina that already includes Luke Kuechley and Thomas Davis.
As expected, the Patriots didn’t have a chance to select Thompson in the first round. Bill Belichick and company are more than satisfied with defensive tackle Malcolm Brown at number 32. Mel Kiper’s 12th ranked player in the class fills a more pressing “need’’ for the Patriots than Thompson, and New England didn’t have to give up the assets to trade up and select him.
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