Husky Defensive Tackle Might Have Most Amazing Play of Spring So Far

With a noticeable talent upgrade this spring, the University of Washington football team has had no shortage of mesmerizing plays through six practices.

Redshirt freshman running back Jordan Washington, in full throttle, shot through a hole and made everyone just turn and look at him as he went 60 electrifying yards for an effortless touchdown in Dempsey Indoor.

Rahshawn Clark, a redshirt freshman defensive back playing both cornerback and nickel, got into the act, also in Dempsey Indoor, by leaping acrobatically, twisting and one-handing an interception that left him so exposed the play knocked the wind out of him.

In the fresh air of Husky Stadium, wide receiver Justice Williams, yet another redshirt freshman, ran to the back of the end zone, with freshman cornerback D'Aryhian Clemons all over him, and used his 6-foot-4 height to win the ball for a spectacular score.

Yet when adding it all up, the most physically imposing play happened so fast, and was made by someone so unlikely, most people in the stadium at that moment might have missed it.

At the 25-yard line, sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. accepted the shotgun snap, wheeled to his left and rifled the ball to waiting redshirt freshman wide receiver Audric Harris on a quick out.

Here's the eye-opening part: Anterio Thompson, coming from behind, dragged down Harris for a 2-yard loss.

That's Thompson, as in the 6-foot-4, 306-pound defensive tackle and Western Michigan transfer portal addition.

Again, that was an interior defensive lineman finding enough of a burst to blow up a perfectly fine play call.

How Thompson covered so much ground in such a short amount of time while coming out of a stance was the show-stopper.

Suddenly, he was the Anterio Speedway.

After first playing at Western Iowa Junior College, largely as a special-teams player at the University of Iowa and finally getting significant snaps at Western Michigan, Thompson seems motivated to really make something out of his career in Montlake.

He says he knows about the more recent UW defensive tackles who have stepped up in Vita Vea, Greg Gaines and Levi Onwuzurike, to the point they're all in the NFL now.

"I've got a lot to bring to the table," Thompson said before spring ball began. "If I take the coaching and take advantage of all the resources they have here, I can be in those conversations and one of those guys."

With teammates gathered around him and screaming their heads off in the Husky weight room, Thompson has been shown on social media squatting 650 pounds and preforming other over-the-top deeds.

UW defensive tackle Anterio Thompson has a 306-pound body that is fairly trim. | Skylar Lin Visuals

With his body somewhat hardened rather than normal defensive lineman pudgy, the Dubuque, Iowa, product might be the playmaker the Huskies have been searching for up front for the past few seasons.

On the run to the national championship game in Houston that happened16 months ago, that Husky team logged just one sack from a down lineman -- over 15 games -- with Ulumoo Ale, now looking for work in the CFL, responsible for it.

This past season over 13 outings, UW defensive tackles combined for just 3.5 sacks, with the departed Sebastian Valdez picking up a pair, the graduated Jacob Bandes getting one and the injured Jayvon Parker receiving credit for a half sack.

As pointed out before, the difference between Jedd Fisch's second team being good or great could depend on how well the Husky interior defensive line creates havoc up front.

Thompson, it seems, might be up for the challenge in his second time through the Big Ten, of upping his game and maybe showing Iowa it should have played him more.

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