Hawg Futures: 2-handed approach should help Thompson
BY NEAL SHULENBURGER<EM>This is the 17th in a series profiling Arkansas football signees, who report Aug. 10.</EM> -ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
FAYETTEVILLE -- One-handed catches usually make the highlight reels for wide receivers, but those were routine plays for Arkansas signee David Thompson last season.
Thompson, a wide receiver from Memphis University High School, cracked a bone in his right hand before last season and had to wear a splint on his wrist his senior season.
"I didn't miss any games, but I couldn't really grab the ball," Thompson said. "I made a lot of catches one-handed."
Thompson still finished with 35 catches for 496 yards and 1 touchdown and was named first team in his school's division by the coaches and The Associated Press.
"That cast was in the worst place, right above the wrist," said George Pugh, Arkansas' receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. "Every time he touched the ball, it hit that cast and it hurt.
"That says a lot about his ability to play with pain."
Proving he could play with pain was important to Thompson. Injuries limited him to two games his junior year, when he caught 12 passes for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns.
That was enough to impress college recruiters. Thompson's 6-3, 175-pound frame and his 4.5-second time in the 40-yard dash drew attention from schools such as Auburn, Stanford, Alabama, Oklahoma, Duke and Georgia Tech.
"Obviously, at 6-3, I'll take that frame for a receiver any time," Pugh said. "But he doesn't just have the great size, he has outstanding speed. He's a great route runner, he's tenacious, and he shows great determination.
Thompson visited Arkansas and several other schools, but it was a trip to Auburn -- not Fayetteville -- that sold him on becoming a Razorback.
"I guess the moment I decided came when I was at the Auburn-Florida game," Thompson said. "They had the South Carolina-Arkansas game on television. When everyone else left to watch Auburn and Florida warm up, I stayed and watched South Carolina and Arkansas.
"I knew where I wanted to go then."
Thompson, who orally committed to Arkansas in October, has qualified academically. He is already on campus, lifting weights at the Broyles Center and trying to learn Arkansas' offense.
"What I need to adjust to most is the speed of the game," Thompson said. "I think I've got the speed and the size and the talent to play at this level, but it's a big jump from high school."
Thompson handled kickoffs and extra points for Memphis University High School, but he laughed when asked if he'll try any kicking in college.
"I'm not really a kicker. I'm not sure why they listed me as one as well," Thompson said. "Yeah, I handled kickoffs and extra points for high school, but I missed about eight of the extra points."
Thompson also was a standout in track and field. He set a school record with a high jump of 6 feet, 8 inches and has cleared 6-10 in practice, but Thompson said he doesn't plan on adding his name to the Razorbacks' track and field roster.
"I can high jump about 6-10, but I don't need to split my time like that," Thompson said. "I think I've got enough to work on just trying to play football."
<B>THOMPSON AT A GLANCE
POSITION Wide receiver
HT/WT 6-3, 175
PROSPECTS Could provide depth at wide receiver
NOTEWORTHY Was heavily recruited despite playing with a cracked bone in his right hand for most of his senior year at Memphis University High School. Alabama, Auburn, Stanford, Georgia Tech and Duke were among the schools interested in Thompson before he chose Arkansas. ... Named first team in his school's division by both the coaches and The Associated Press. ... Held the school record in the high jump (6 feet, 8 inches) and finished fifth in the state decathlon as a junior.
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Razorback Profile - David Thompson
