Utah State’s Darwin Thompson drafted by Kansas City in sixth round of 2019 NFL Draft

Utah State's Darwin Thompson runs the ball down the field at the Utah State University Football game verses Brigham Young University on Friday, October 5, at Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. Utah State won the game 45 to 20. (Megan Nielsen)

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State running back Darwin Thompson was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft with the 214th overall pick by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Overall, Utah State has now had 122 players selected in the NFL Draft, including 13 players in the last nine years, including five running backs.

Thompson is just the third Aggie ever to be drafted by the Chiefs organization joining wide receiver Kevin Robinson, who was selected in the sixth round (182th overall pick) in the 2008 NFL Draft and quarterback Bob Gagliano, who was selected in the 12th round (319th overall pick) in the 1981 NFL Draft.

Thompson will join 14 other former Aggies who are currently on NFL rosters, including safety Maurice Alexander (Buffalo Bills), cornerback Jalen Davis (Miami Dolphins), safety Marwin Evans (Seattle Seahawks), linebacker Kyler Fackrell (Green Bay Packers), offensive guard Tyler Larsen (Carolina Panthers), defensive back Nevin Lawson (Oakland Raiders), safety Dallin Leavitt (Oakland Raiders), running back Devante Mays (Cleveland Browns), long snapper Patrick Scales (Chicago Bears), wide receiver Hunter Sharp (Cincinnati Bengals), running back Robert Turbin (Oakland Raiders), linebacker Nick Vigil (Cincinnati Bengals), linebacker Bobby Wagner (Seattle Seahawks) and running back Kerwynn Williams (Detroit Lions).

During his one season at Utah State, Thompson earned second-team all-Mountain West honors as he carried the ball 153 times for 1,044 yards (6.8 yards per carry/80.3 yards per game) and 14 touchdowns to lead the team in all three categories, while adding 23 receptions for 351 yards (15.3 yards per reception) and two touchdowns.

On the season, Thompson ranked first in the Mountain West and 13th in the nation in rushing yards per carry (6.8), second in the MW and 20th in the nation with 14 rushing touchdowns (1.1 per game), third in the MW and 14th in the nation in total touchdowns with 16 (1.2 per game), fifth in the MW and 51st in the nation in scoring (7.4 points per game), fifth in the MW and 56th in the nation in rushing (80.3. yards per game), and fifth in the MW and 65th in the nation in all-purpose yards (107.3 yards per game).

With his 1,044 rushing yards in 2018, Thompson became the first Aggie in five years and the 18th in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. Overall, his 1,044 rushing yards last year are tied for the 16th-most in school history and he is just the 32nd USU player to rush for 1,000 yards in a career.

Overall, Thompson is fourth all-time at Utah State for a single season with his 16 total touchdowns and is tied for sixth with his 14 rushing touchdowns. Furthermore, he is also fifth all-time in rushing average at 6.8 yards per carry and is tied for ninth in scoring with 96 points. And finally, his career rushing average is tied for the fourth-best in school history.

Thompson had five 100-yard rushing games as a junior, which are the most by an Aggie since 2013, and was the first player since 2012 to have 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game as he carried the ball 15 times for 140 yards with a touchdown and caught four passes for 115 yards and a career-high two touchdowns against San Jose State. In fact, Thompson had an 88-yard touchdown catch against SJSU to rank as the sixth-longest pass play in USU history.

Thompson also had a team-best 11 rushes of 20-plus yards last year, including four of at least 55 yards, to go along with three receptions of at least 20 yards, including two over 55 yards.

On the season, Thompson had at least one rushing touchdown in nine games and multiple rushing touchdowns in four games, including a career-high three at Hawai’i, as he was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week, as he carried the ball 13 times for a career-high 141 yards and added two receptions for 37 yards.

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