8/13/2020 football Edit

Where are they now? Rutgers Football linebacker Devraun Thompson

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

Devraun Thompson didn't go far for college. In fact, the Piscataway High School standout played football five minutes down the road at Rutgers, where he started for four years at linebacker for the Scarlet Knights.

He's still ranked No. 8 in team history with 153 assisted tackles and had a career-high 97 as a junior and 83 stops (11.5 for loss), four sacks, and two interceptions as a senior.

Thompson (2003-06) had a nose for the ball and made some big plays in his career. Check out his interview with TKR below as he discusses what he's been up to lately, his thoughts on Greg Schiano being back, and more.

FREE PREMIUM ACCESS UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST, 2020 — CLICK HERE FOR MORE!!

Noah K. Murray | The Star-Ledger (Noah K. Murray | The Star-Ledger)

The Knight Report: What have you been up to work and life wise the last few years?

Devraun Thompson: “I live out in Philadelphia now. I run two small businesses (among other things). I have a son now. He's seven. He's in school and that's the main thing. I've just been working and paying the bills.”

TKR: Looking back, what made you choose Rutgers?

Thompson: “It was just how the cards fell in place. Finishing high school, we were the state champs. We were the No. 1 public School in the tri-state area. Rutgers was right there in my hometown and they were lashing the country, two years in a row. So it was a good opportunity to go somewhere and play right away and try to change it up. I ended up starting as a freshman and running the defense.

TKR: How would you describe your years at Rutgers?

Thompson: “It was definitely harder to win when I first got there. There were so many things going against us and trying to break the tradition of losing. Rutgers was ranked basically last in the country for like the previous 10 before my freshman year. I had to break the mindset and work towards that and just try to keep the football program going. We had the right group of guys to do it.”

TKR: Late last year Greg Schiano was re-hired. What was your reaction to that?

Thompson: “It was good. Coach Ash, he tried, but he couldn't get things accomplished and it seemed like the team was going backwards. Coach Flood started out good. He had some success early on the field, but he had problems off the field and they couldn't do the right thing. Schiano was a coach who would monitor everyone on the field and off the field. Hopefully he can get a grip on everything and get Rutgers back on the right track. It's good to see Rutgers do what it needs to do to try and win.”

TKR: How did the rebuild come about? What did it take?

Thompson: Everyone was believing we were going in the right direction. Everything fell in line with that. People acted as such. If you want to win you have to act like it. Then, everyone started having fun.”

TKR: What was Schiano like as a coach?

Thompson: “He has a winning mindset. He uses the players he has and tries to put them in the right position for who we are. That helped. We didn't have a big defense, but we were top five in most categories. A lot of us weren't heavily recruited. We just had the right scheme for our personnel. He can see who he has now and recruit the right guys. It's about not thinking too much and having fun so you can fly around and making plays.”

TKR: Do you have a few favorite memories during your time at Rutgers?

Thompson: "The last sack against Louisville. That was crazy just to get that accomplished. Schiano won't like this. A lot of people don't know on that play he called a blitz from the left side and I got out there and with the offensive formation I called a blitz to the right side. They had four receivers on that side and it worked out because Louisville slid the protection back side, so me and Manny (Collins) went two-on-one with the running back and we both got there. After the game Schiano asked me why I flipped it and I just said 'I didn't like it'. He just said 'Oh, OK'. If I had flipped it and we didn't make a play I would have been in trouble, but after four years, he knew what I was doing."

TKR: That's funny. I like that. Good insight. So, which goal line stuff was better for you, North Carolina or Cincinnati?

Thompson: “North Carolina because we won the game.”

TKR: Last thing, you obviously didn’t go far for college, what would be your message to recruits, especially those from NJ about choosing Rutgers?

Thompson: “We got some of the best athletes in the country up here in the northeast, but I know a lot of guys leave the area and it's hard to see guys shine on Saturday playing for other states. It's a different world now. People think it's too close, but there's no place like it. It's a different atmosphere. We're in the most populated area and the media capital of the world. It's just a different type of feeling than going to a place like Alabama and Ohio State and not starting until your fourth year there after redshirting and just kind of fitting in. Guys that were on my high school team, Malcolm (Jenkins) and Kyle (Wilson), they went to Ohio State and Boise State and figured they would go higher in the draft because of that. But we had the McCourty twins, and Ray Rice who were the same class as them and they stayed home and got drafted just as high. You don't have to go away to get drafted high. That's what kids think. That's a big thing I've heard why kids go away. If you stay in Jersey and at Rutgers, then your family and friends can come watch them play. You don't have to go 200 miles away. I still go to the games. It's a good atmosphere up there.”