Why Shaq Thompson Is the Swiss Army Knife of the 2015 NFL Draft

In today's NFL, versatility is key—especially on defense. With teams passing the ball more and more, size has become much less important at the safety and linebacker positions than athleticism and coverage ability.

In that regard, Washington's Shaq Thompson offers some of the best of both worlds, with some running back thrown in for good measure. In fact, Thompson displayed so much versatility in Seattle that the biggest question facing NFL teams may be how to best utilize his many talents.

Thompson was a true Swiss Army knife for the Huskies in 2014. As a linebacker and safety, the 6'0", 228-pounder racked up 80 tackles, a sack, an interception and an eye-popping three touchdowns on fumble returns.

He wasn't finished there. Thompson also picked up over 500 total yards as a running back, averaging nearly 7.5 yards a touch with two touchdowns.

Add it all together, and as Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated reported, you have the sort of flexibility that modern NFL teams crave:

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He played linebacker at Washington in college. And safety. And running back. He played all three positions so well, in fact, that his stated desire to play outside linebacker in the NFL next season was met with 'That’s great', but from personnel types. Thompson’s value lies in his versatility. Twenty years ago, he might have been considered too small to play linebacker, too big to play safety, too in-between positions to warrant a first-round pick. Not anymore. 'He’s a freak among freaks,' gushed one AFC executive to SI.com.

The executive meant that as the highest form of compliment. By the end of the NFL draft, one of 32 NFL coaches will be saying how Thompson allows their defense to be more 'multiple,' a favored expression of jargon among those who study and coach football players. By multiple, they mean their defenses can do, well, more stuff, present offenses with varied looks, shift and take shape and shift again to confuse quarterbacks.

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There's been more than a little speculation that Thompson could be a first-round pick, but James Wexell of Scout.com just isn't seeing it:

And that's the question: Where would that team picking in the first round see Thompson lining up?

As Bishop mentioned, when asked by reporters (including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times) where he saw himself in the NFL, it was at outside linebacker.

“I’m gonna put it out there that I want to play linebacker,” he said. “But I can’t say no to (safety).”

He may not have a choice. While speaking with Condotta, Mike Mayock of the NFL Network sang Thompson's praises, but did so as a safety:

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Shaq Thompson is one of the most fun guys to watch on tape this year. I know GMs who are looking at him as a running back, linebacker and safety. Most teams as a linebacker. I’ve got him as a safety. I think he can be a Kam Chancellor-type on first down in your base, then drop down and play linebacker in your dime. And that’s really important in today’s world.

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And Mayock has a point, on more than one front.

For as well as Thompson played for the Huskies in 2014, if there was a weakness to his game, it was in getting off blocks at the point of attack. That's hardly surprising, given that Thompson's listed weight of 228 (itself on the small side for a linebacker) is after he added several pounds.

One AFC North scout told Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, "He was 219 pounds when I visited late in the season. I'm concerned about whether he will be able to keep enough weight on to be a 4-3 WILL."

Thompson told Condotta that concerns about his lack of size are overblown:

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I feel like size doesn’t matter. There were a couple of times where I didn’t get off blocks. But there were other times when I did. If you’re a playmaker, you’re gonna make a play regardless, whether you’re getting blocked or not getting blocked. That’s part of my game I need to tighten up, and I’m getting better at it.

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There is a recent precedent that backs Thompson up. Last year the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Florida State's Telvin Smith in the fifth round. The 218-pound Smith not only started nine games and tallied over 100 tackles, but Smith also graded as a top-20 4-3 outside linebacker at Pro Football Focus.

With that said, though, Smith is much more exception than rule, and it's not a huge stretch to imagine that the list of teams looking for an undersized linebacker isn't nearly as long as the list of teams who would like one of those "hybrid" defenders that Mayock mentioned.

Chancellor's the gold standard, sure, but he's hardly the only example. For more than a few NFL teams, the nickel has become the de facto base defense. Having a player who can move from safety in base sets to linebacker in the nickel can come in plenty handy.

It's how the Arizona Cardinals utilized 2014 first-round pick Deone Bucannon during his rookie season. Da'Norris Searcy just parlayed playing a similar role for the Buffalo Bills into a $24 million free-agent deal with the Tennessee Titans.

And it may well be the role Shaq Thompson fills best, at least on paper. Granted, it might not exactly be the role he's hoping for.

But, if what we saw from him at Washington was any indication, it may also not be the only role we eventually see Thompson play.

Gary Davenport is an NFL Analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter at @IDPManor.