FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Senior year of high school can be one of the most consequential periods in a person's life.
There are countless decisions to make as a new life chapter looms, and each one feels likely to dictate the entire future. Sometimes, though, the decision that turns out to be most critical doesn't seem all that monumental in the moment. And it can even happen largely because of someone else.
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As Anterio Thompson wrapped up his junior year at Hempstead High School in Dubuque, Iowa, he expected his football career was over. Six years later, he became a sixth-round draft pick for the Atlanta Falcons. One person's insistence nudged Thompson onto this path.
"I was giving up on football at a point in high school," Thompson said after getting selected. "My head coach ended up being one of my advisors, Coach [Jeff] Horner, and he was telling the guys to get me back into football. It was going into my senior year, and I'm not going to lie, if it wasn't for him, I don't know if I would have been playing football still."
After earning all-region honors as a defensive tackle, Thompson signed with Iowa Western Community College in 2021. He spent his first season as a redshirt player, which allowed him to get acclimated to life in college. In 2022, Thompson played in 12 games and became a standout player for the NJCAA Division I champions. He had 32 total tackles, 10 tackles for a loss and six sacks for the Reivers in his first year on the field.
The two years Thompson spent at Iowa Western helped him refocus on football and set the stage for bigger things to come.
"I looked at it as a second chance," Thompson said. "I knew I wanted to play football, but I knew I had to get through JUCO. So, kind of just put my head down and worked there. Redshirted the first year, started the second year … and I just found all my ways of learning and the way I move best."
Check out these photos of Anterio Thompson in action prior to being selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2026 NFL Draft.
After leaving Iowa Western, Thompson spent a year apiece at the University of Iowa, Western Michigan University and the University of Washington from 2023-25. In his final two college seasons, Thompson had a combined 64 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 4 pass defenses and 2.5 sacks. He also had three career blocked punts in college.
The Falcons' interest in Thompson, though, may have more to do with his style than his stats. Thompson plays with a ferocity that fits what the Falcons are looking for on their defensive line. He can beat an offensive lineman off the snap and explode into the backfield, or he can get hold of a blocker and toss him aside with his strong hands. In their conversations, Atlanta defensive line coach Nate Ollie made it clear why he felt Thompson would thrive in his system.
"He just outlined my explosiveness, the way I play, the feistiness I play [with]," Thompson said. "He just told me, I fit best in his scheme — in their attack scheme — just getting off the ball and just causing havoc."
Thompson possesses the tools to become a good player at the NFL level, and his pro day testing confirmed the athleticism he displayed on tape. His ran the 40-yard dash in 4.73 seconds, which would have been the fastest time among defensive tackles at the combine. His broad jump of 9 feet, 6 inches would have tied for second best among combine defensive tackles, as would his 30 reps on bench press.
"He's sawed off, powerful, explosive, really good hand strength, good instincts," Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said of Thompson. "He plays the brand of ball that our defensive staff looks for. He's powerful. We look forward to bringing him in and helping him add to the group in the run and in the pass game."
In his first year with the Falcons, Ollie's group produced in the pass rush. Atlanta set a franchise record with 57 sacks in 2025, including 25.5 from the team's defensive tackles.
Now, the team is looking for similar improvement against the run. The addition of players like Da'Shawn Hand and Maason Smith this offseason were made to help bolster the interior run defense, and Thompson plays with a level of violence that could earn him a role against the run as well.
When Coach Horner urged Thompson to play football as a senior, he not only helped him chart a career course but also gave him a crucial outlet. The violent play that has become Thompson's superpower first manifested in his final year of high school. As a younger player, he explained that he would "hug them safely and put them on the ground," instead of delivering a true hit.
During an emotional period, however, Thompson needed a way to channel his feelings. He found one that unlocked his untapped potential.
"I'd say it kind of flipped my senior year," Thompson said. "I was going through a lot of family things, and football is the only sport where it's violent and you don't go to jail for it. So, I kind of started practicing and playing with a little bit more anger, but as I got into college, that's when my violence and everything got to this point."
Entering his senior year, Thompson made a decision that shaped his future. Through five years of college, he honed his mentality and refined his unique gifts. Now, as a pro, Thompson joins a defense tailor-made for his talents.
