Olito Thompson commits to Washington State

The Cougars landed their second running back for the 2013 recruiting class; Olito Thompson (Concord, California). Thompson is a three star prospect according to Yahoo Sports and is ranked as the forty-third best running back in the country for the class of 2013. The running back currently holds offers from Arizona, Utah, and San Jose State, and is getting attention from schools all over the country that include, California, Boise State, Oregon, Notre Dame and Southern Mississippi.

Thompson is a physical type of running back that likes running through his opponents and fighting for that extra yard. Playing linebacker in high school shows Thompson isn’t afraid of contact and is a physical player on the field. Listed at 5’10”, 210 pounds, this back will fit great with the Air Raid offense. With the plan of lining up in shotgun ninety to a hundred percent of the time will play to Thompson’s advantage. Watching his highlight tape, it appears the offense his high school football team runs is the spread, where the quarterback is mainly in the shotgun. (The spread is used more for running while the Air Raid is used for passing but both offenses have their similarities.)

Thompson shouldn’t have a problem picking up the Air Raid offense. Though Leach plans to pass the ball most of the time, the Concord running back can still make an impact using his physicality for blocking. Catching is an area he will need to work on the most; only catching a total of ten balls his junior year at Concord High School. This is an important attribute a running back must possess to make a presence in this type of offense (pass first).

Now lets get back to the area Thompson does the best; carrying the ball. His junior year at Concord High School, he rushed for 3,488 yards which is a new Northern California record, and rushed for an astonishing 34 touchdowns. As you can see in his highlight tape, this kid has speed and has great sense of hitting the hole his offensive line provides him with. In the open field, it takes a multiple of players to take him down. I can’t even imagine what a performance this back will put on his senior year in high school. Love this pickup by Mike Leach and can’t wait to see him play in a Cougar uniform!  Go Cougs!

The only highlight video I could find of Olito Thompson was from his sophomore year (2010) at Concord High School

A interview of Thompson on his record breaking year 

Photo Credit: PDPreps.com

–Evan Baron (@BaselineBaron09)