Darwin Thompson sounds ready to take a leap forward for the Chiefs.
Toward the end of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to add a small yet tough rusher to the backfield in the sixth round with the selection of Darwin Thompson from Utah State. Like any late round pick, Thompson faced an uphill battle to make the team’s roster, but there was something special in this pick that had fans expecting a bright future. Now he’s ready to live up to those expectations.
Thompson might have fallen in the draft, but he was always held high in the eyes of fans and draft analysts. He only starred for a single season at Utah State, but he made the most of that playing time with 153 rushes for 1,044 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground in 13 games. He also added 23 catches for 351 yards and 2 more touchdowns receiving.
What was clear upon watching Thompson in pre-draft workouts was his incredible toughness. He stands only 5’8″, but he’s dense with muscle and looked ready for his rookie campaign. Then the Chiefs signed LeSean McCoy shortly before the season began and Thompson found himself buried on the depth chart.
What became surprising was just how little time Thompson would end up getting in a season where Damien Williams struggled early and McCoy also fell out of favor. There was room for someone to emerge, but the Chiefs’ ground game lacked a dynamic performer—at least they did by midseason. Between Williams’ poor production and McCoy’s fumbles, the Chiefs maintained a committee approach—not that the offense was hurt too much by any of this.
Fortunately for the Chiefs, Williams picked up significant steam down the stretch and turned in another heroic performance when it counted most.
By season’s end, Thompson had played sparingly in 12 games for the Chiefs, with only 37 total carries to his credit for 128 rushing yards and 1 touchdown. He also added 9 catches on 10 targets but they only went for 43 yards. Pass protection was a problem and it was clear the coaching staff wasn’t ready to trust Thompson just yet.
These days, however, Thompson sounds like a man who knows what it takes to earn more playing time. Here’s what he had to say to reporters during training camp on Wednesday.
"“Last year in camp, [my] eyes were wide open like a deer in headlights, so this year, I know what to expect and [how] to perfect my craft,” Thompson said. “…This year, I see the blitzes a lot better. I can recognize the disguises that the safeties [use]. I see the running game a lot better, [too]. I was watching and studying other running backs [a lot this offseason] as far as their eyes and how they see the run game – [defensive tackle] shades and understanding different fronts of a defense. I did a lot of studying this offseason. There were a lot of things I had to get better at for me to be successful in this league.”"
Given the team’s first round investment in LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Thompson won’t be a bell cow of a back for the Chiefs in the near future. However, there’s room here for someone to earn reps as CEH learns and also as he rests, especially after Williams decided to opt out for the coming season.
There’s every reason to believe a secondary back can earn 75-100 carries behind Edwards-Helaire along with significant targets in the passing game. That would double Thompson’s workload in his sophomore season and give him a real chance to show what he could do while gaining consecutive reps. There are other players competing for the same role, so Thompson can’t rest, but he’s doing what it takes to earn the role.