James Thompson Jr.
| No. 96 – San Francisco 49ers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Defensive tackle |
| Roster status | Active |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 29, 2002[1] |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 308 lb (140 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Roger Bacon (St. Bernard, Ohio) |
| College | |
| NFL draft | 2026: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
James Thompson Jr. (born August 29, 2002)[1] is an American football defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Wisconsin Badgers and Illinois Fighting Illini.
Early life
[edit]Thompson Jr. attended Roger Bacon High School in St. Bernard, Ohio. He was rated as a three-star recruit and the 64th overall defensive end in the class of 2020[by whom?] and committed to play college football for the Wisconsin Badgers.[2]
College career
[edit]Wisconsin
[edit]As a freshman in 2020, Thompson Jr. played in just one game versus Michigan before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury.[3] In 2021, he played in all 13 games, recording seven tackles.[4] During the 2022 season, Thompson Jr. recorded 26 tackles with six and a half going for a loss and two sacks.[5] In the 2023 season, Thompson Jr. totaled 29 tackles with five and a half being for a loss and three sacks.[6] During the 2024 season, he played in just one game due to a pectoral injury.[7] After the season, Thompson Jr. entered the NCAA transfer portal.[8]
Illinois
[edit]Thompson Jr. transferred to play for the Illinois Fighting Illini.[9] He entered the 2025 season as a starter on the Fighting Illini defensive line.[10]
Professional career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 5+5⁄8 in (1.97 m) | 308 lb (140 kg) | 31+3⁄8 in (0.80 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) | 6 ft 7+1⁄8 in (2.01 m) | 5.04 s | 1.75 s | 2.85 s | 4.78 s | 7.73 s | 28.0 in (0.71 m) | 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m) | 36 reps |
| All values from Pro Day[11] | ||||||||||||
Thompson Jr. signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent on April 26, 2026.[12][13]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "James Thompson Jr". Ourlads. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ Temple, Jesse (April 10, 2020). "Why Wisconsin thinks it has an underrated gem in incoming DE James Thompson Jr". The Athletic. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ Potrykus, Jeff (August 13, 2021). "Wisconsin defensive end James Thompson had a long road back after a season-ending Achilles injury in 2020". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ Potrykus, Jeff (December 27, 2023). "James Thompson Jr. is ready for Wisconsin's bowl game and eager to lead the defensive line in 2024". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ Stewart, Mark (August 8, 2023). "'It's a new era': End James Thompson hopes to lead way for new-look Wisconsin defense". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ Stewart, Mark (August 26, 2024). "Wisconsin's Luke Fickell confirms injury to DL James Thompson, doubts return this season". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ Stewart, Mark (November 29, 2024). "How the can-do mentality of Wisconsin's James Thompson helped him get back on the field ahead of schedule". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ Traux, Barkley. "Wisconsin DL James Thompson enters NCAA transfer portal". On3.com. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ Lagendorf, Jason. "Illinois Football Lands Highest-Rated Transfer Yet From Wisconsin Defense". Illinois Fighting Illini on SI. SI.com. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ Richey, Scott. "Thompson immersing himself in Illinois football, C-U community". The News-Gazette. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
- ↑ "James Thompson Jr. College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ "49ers Agree to Terms with Undrafted Rookie Free Agents". 49ers.com. April 26, 2026. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
- ↑ "49ers Sign Six Draft Picks, Seven Undrafted Rookie Free Agents". 49ers.com. May 8, 2026. Retrieved May 8, 2026.