Giants fifth-round pick says he was surprised to be drafted at all

Teams making surprising draft picks all the time. However, it’s not so common that a draft pick himself is surprised to hear his name called at all.

The New York Giants took Texas safety Mykkele Thompson in the fifth round. Thompson wasn’t exactly hosting a big draft party.

“It was a surprise for me,” Thompson said, according to ESPN.com. “I don’t even know how to explain it right now. After the numbers I put up this year, I thought free agency was going to be the main goal, probably.”

The Giants have made plenty of good picks through the years, but picking someone in the fifth round who admits he was surprised to be drafted at all probably should be classified as a reach. According to ESPN.com, Thompson said he had just one pre-draft visit: To the Giants, of course.

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Thompson wasn’t very productive in college, but did play better after he started using contacts to correct his vision during last season. He had just one interception, three passes defensed and 69 tackles in 13 games. At 6-2, 191 pounds (his listed size in college), he’s a bit undersized as a safety, though he could move to corner in the pros. He wasn’t even an honorable mention all-Big 12 selection as a senior. Thompson wasn’t invited to the combine. It’s not like he went to a small school and nobody had a chance to scout him. No wonder Thompson figured he’d be trying to hook on as a free agent.

That’s not to mean Thompson won’t be a good player. The Giants have a good scouting staff. They obviously like him. It’s just not too often you hear a player express genuine surprise over being drafted after he is.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab