Anterio Thompson’s road to the 2026 NFL Draft ran through Iowa Western Community College, Iowa, Western Michigan and Washington, and his profile says the fastest part of his game may matter more than his size. The former three-star JUCO prospect is expected to be on an NFL roster when the first week of preseason rolls around.
That is the payoff for a player who kept moving and kept producing. Thompson recorded 32 tackles and six sacks in 12 games at Iowa Western in 2022, then transferred to Iowa after his freshman season and blocked two kicks while appearing in seven games and finishing with one tackle. At Western Michigan, he turned in 34 tackles, one sack, two pass breakups and one blocked kick while starting 12 of 13 games, then finished his college career at Washington with 30 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two pass breakups while playing in every game.
The path helps explain why evaluators see him as an NFL story built on speed, not body type. Thompson was ranked No. 52 nationally among JUCO prospects by 247Sports, and the profile says his raw speed is his strength while his reaction time still needs work. His size is described as a potential problem at the next level, but he kept forcing his way onto the field at every stop. The numbers back it up, from 32 tackles and six sacks at Iowa Western to his full-season role at Washington.
What makes Thompson notable now is not just that he bounced from school to school. It is that each move came with more responsibility, more snaps and more production, until he reached Washington and played every game. If he does land on an NFL roster in the opening week of preseason, it will be because teams decided the speed is real enough to bet on before the draft clock runs out.
