'12 CA S/RB Shaq Thompson (Washington Verbal)

[yankeeND]

Thompson is expected to sign with the Red Sox and play football at Washington, amazingly enough.

From ESPNBoston:

Best of both worlds, kid must be pretty good if they are willing to let him play foolsball. So you can keep amateur status in a sport and get paid professionally in another?

 

[OCIrish]

Best of both worlds, kid must be pretty good if they are willing to let him play foolsball. So you can keep amateur status in a sport and get paid professionally in another?

Yes, I remember Cedric Benson did this @ Texas.

 

[Anchorman]

Best of both worlds, kid must be pretty good if they are willing to let him play foolsball. So you can keep amateur status in a sport and get paid professionally in another?

Weeden and BC's old QB both transitioned from the minors to football as well.

 

[anarin]

Weeden and Thompson's situations are completely different, shaq won't be returning to anything (because he will have never left either sport).

 

[Irish2155]

As a Redsox fan, hopefully this "raw" athlete is the next Carl Crawford.

 

[CHIDomer9]

If he was drafted in the 18th round, there isn't much of a decision to be made. If he wants to play MLB, then he should play a year of college first. That's really a decision of "do you want to forego college to play triple-A ball in Pawtucket?"

Even 4 years in a top flight college baseball program (which UW is not) would do less for his development as a baseball player than heading to Arizona for the Red Sox instructional team. The level of baseball at even A ball is light years ahead of college baseball.

And he is 17-18 years old. Pawtucket would be at least 4 years away, probably 5.

He could certainly make a whole lot more money and live a longer and healthier life if he chose baseball. I hope he chooses baseball. The game needs elite athletes to come to a decision like this one and choose baseball. Unfortunately, the players got taken to the woodshed in the latest CBA and college baseball will reap rewards for it.

 

[Grahambo]

If Shaq decides for football and to not sign with the Red Sox, he is not draft-eligible until after his junior year to re-enter the draft.

With the new MLB draft slotting, teams have a certain amount to spend amongst the top 10 rounds. They can't go 'over the cap' for those ten rounds but if they can save money on one slotted recommendation for a particular round, they can then spread that money around to someone else in the top 10. For example, if pick #5 in the 1st round is slotted at $3 million but team A is able to sign #5 for $4 million, they can take that $1 million leftover and use it somewhere else in the top 10 rounds. So if they draft a high school player in round #2 and really want him to sign but the allotted slot recommendation for pick #35 is $2 million, they can offer $3 million instead to entice him to sign. They could also add more money but it would take away from their pool of money.

Now, for everybody AFTER the top 10 rounds, the bonus they get does not count against the cap of the top 10 rounds UNLESS that amount exceeds $100K. For this reason, you will see a lot of top high school prospects decide for college instead. It is also why you saw a lot of so-so, average, fringy kids, notably college juniors or seniors get taken in rounds that were usually used for a high school kid with a higher ceiling then his college counterpart.

So, it all depends on what the Red Sox can afford to offer Shaq Thompson, if they even have enough money to entice him to sign. With all of that said, Shaq's better option appears to be head to Washington and play for the Huskies and if he really likes baseball, re-enter the draft in 3 years. The education he would receive at Washington, I presume, would be better then getting a more then likely signing bonus of less then $100k.

Or I would like to go with the age old adage, who frickin knows.

 

[woolybug25]

Even 4 years in a top flight college baseball program (which UW is not) would do less for his development as a baseball player than heading to Arizona for the Red Sox instructional team. The level of baseball at even A ball is light years ahead of college baseball.

And he is 17-18 years old. Pawtucket would be at least 4 years away, probably 5.

He could certainly make a whole lot more money and live a longer and healthier life if he chose baseball. I hope he chooses baseball. The game needs elite athletes to come to a decision like this one and choose baseball. Unfortunately, the players got taken to the woodshed in the latest CBA and college baseball will reap rewards for it.

Again, he was drafted in the 18th round. There would most likely be years of development he would need to do to make it to the show, if ever. Telling an 18 year old kid that you should chase a longshot instead of getting his college degree is silly. Go to school, play both sports, and choose between the two when he either a) graduates or b) gets drafted higher. Don't throw away all of your options just because the door to MLB was cracked open. Nobody is gonna close that on him if he waits.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

ND really dodged a bullet here, glad he chose Washington. Can you imagine the meltdown mode of the fanbase had he signed w ND, then gone to the Sox? Mr. Crow would be an unhappy camper.

 

[polishjuice4]

Don't get your hopes up. I found a funny article on how he is doing in baseball. Thank god we did not offer him for baseball. This guy should go straight back to football.

Shaq Thompson, one of top 2012 football recruits, struck out 25 times in first 26 professional at-bats | Prep Rally - Yahoo! Sports

 

[ab2cmiller]

You would think that swinging with your eyes closed could achieve better results.

 

[SirStrutsAlot]

Shaq is on fire!!!!


A Red Sox Prospect Is Putting Together The Most Amazing Season Ever

 

[PANDFAN]

even w/ how bad he is doing...how many of us played 1 year of high school baseball and get drafted????

 

[Big23Head]

I live out in Seattle so I'm curious to see how he does this year at UW. Petersen has him taking snaps at RB but he will be a starting LB (ala Myles Jack).

 

[Luckylucci]

UW fans in Portland love this kid which they have every reason to. They think he's going to have a big impact this year. Wouldn't surprised me.

 

[GBdomer]

This kid doesn't get the National attention he deserves. He reminds me a lot of Kam Chancellor

 

[irishfan]

Shaq Thompson Returns To Football After The Worst Minor League Career Imaginable

0-39 with 37 Ks.

This still cracks me up years later. I feel okay poking fun at him because he's a complete stud at football.

 

[Luckylucci]

This kid doesn't get the National attention he deserves. He reminds me a lot of Kam Chancellor

Thats what happens when you follow a coach to UW.

 

[enrico514]

Shaq Thompson Returns To Football After The Worst Minor League Career Imaginable

0-39 with 37 Ks.

This still cracks me up years later. I feel okay poking fun at him because he's a complete stud at football.

Luckily for him he's probably as good at football as he is bad at baseball!

 

[Corry]

My dark horse Heisman candidate.

 

[Irishnuke]

Not sure if anyone saw it but he returned a fumble 101 yards for a TD on a shitty QB sneak. Guess it was his third return TD this year.

 

[GBdomer]

He is the best player in the country that no one talks about IMO

 

[Irishnuke]

Thank God he didn't wind up at SC.

 

[CanadalovesND]

He is the best player in the country that no one talks about IMO

For sure. Tevin Coleman from Indiana should also get some votes for that title, too.

 

[dublinirish]

kid has 4 defensive TD's already this year.

SI's College Football 2014 Midseason All-America Team - College Football - SI.com

 

[jerboski]

He is the best player in the country that no one talks about IMO

Should have came to ND and he would be talked about plenty

 

[Luckylucci]

Our 2012 class had the chance to be really really special. We just didn't produce the product on the field to get these kids to buy in. But man was there a lot of talent that was interested.

 

[CraigKrenzel]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>♫ I believe Shaq can fly ♫
♫ I believe Shaq can touch the sky ♫

This hurdle is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/12Best?src=hash">#12Best</a> worthy: <a href="http://t.co/bu1n9ms6W6">http://t.co/bu1n9ms6W6</a></p>— Pac-12 Networks (@Pac12Networks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pac12Networks/status/528614598539493376">November 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

For a LB, UW's Shaq Thompson is a Heckuva RB

192 yards on 11 first-half touches.

 

[Irish2155]

He is just one heck of a football player...really good.

 

[Irishnuke]

He might just be the best player in the country.