Freshman safety Grant Thompson brings ball-hawking upside and immediate physicality to SIU
Grant Thompson entered Southern Illinois as a 6-foot, 190-pound freshman safety from North Atlanta after a senior season in 2024 with 75 tackles, 3 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles, plus 700 receiving yards on offense—a nice little Swiss-army-knife flex. He played in 2025 for the Salukis and flashed as a contributor, but the bigger story is his two-way athletic profile, competitive temperament, and knack for disrupting plays around the ball. If a team wants a young defensive back with toughness, range, and room to grow, Thompson is a very intriguing fit.
