Devan Thompkins DE Alabama |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Run defense is his weaker half; Iowa and Northwestern moved him off the ball in 2025
• Ordinary production at USC, with 4.5 sacks over four seasons
• Lacks the burst of a true edge; kept outside against South Carolina, his rush stalled
• No sacks in the last two games, despite steady pocket pressure at Mississippi State

Scouting Report: Summary

Thompkins has found a role at Alabama that suits his unusual skill set. He is a 300-pound lineman who moves well enough to play the Bandit end spot in Kane Wommack's scheme, and he can slide inside to three-technique on passing downs, where his length and quickness make him difficult for guards to handle. His best work comes as a pass rusher, and he showed it early, with two sacks and a forced fumble at Kentucky and a sack against Florida State. He was productive against good offenses at USC as well, with two sacks and a forced fumble against Michigan in 2025, and teammates rave about how hard he is to block in practice.

However, his production at USC was modest for a player with his tools, with just 4.5 sacks in four seasons, and his sack production has cooled since the Florida State game. His run defense is less convincing, as he plays with a high center of gravity and can be moved off the ball by double teams, and when Alabama kept him outside for most of the South Carolina game, he lacked the burst to win around the corner. The rest of the season has to show more consistency to justify the early buzz.

Overall, Thompkins is a versatile, athletic lineman whose size and movement skills give him a clear NFL role. He projects as a third-round pick whose best fit is five-technique in an odd front or a rotational interior rusher, with starting upside if his run defense catches up to his pass rush.