Coyote Football Standout Tom Compton Hopes for Call during NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft set to be held on April 26-28, South Dakota's All-American offensive tackle Tom Compton is hoping for a call, most likely on the third day (Saturday) during rounds 4-7. Here is a feature story I wrote about Compton in March  for the RedEye, a publication by PrintSource in Vermillion, S.D.


Update - draft note: On April 28, Compton was drafted in the sixth round (pick 193, 23rd, 6th Rd.) by the Washington Redskins.

For Tom Compton, the outcome of hard work is a chance to live out a dream.

Since the day he stepped onto the University of South Dakota campus, the 6-6, 314-pound offensive tackle hasn’t taken any plays off in practice, in class or games. Rather, he has kept his head in the game, a focus which in turn has made him a difference maker and one destined for bigger things.

After a career as one of the best-ever football players in Coyote history, he is hoping for a call in the NFL Draft on April 26-28 in New York City.

“It would be a dream come true,” he said.

The draft is a definite possibility for Compton, who is considered among the country’s top offensive prospects, with various prospect prognoses putting him in the 4-5 round area. If those mock projections hold, he would become the first Coyote drafted since Dave Elle (www.nfl.com/draft/history/fulldraft?teamId=3800&type=team), who was picked by the then Phoenix Cardinals (now Arizona Cardinals) in the 10th round (252nd pick) of the 1990 draft. Elle prepped at Yankton High School and was a running back/tight end for the Coyotes. In 1986, two Coyotes were drafted Mike Slaton (defensive back, pick 232) in the ninth round by the Minnesota Vikings  and Chul Schwanke (running back, pick 300) in the 11th round by the Los Angeles Rams (just ahead of Marcus Dupree of Oklahoma) .


In addition, it would put Compton roughly in the same area as former offensive lineman John Kohler, who was the highest Coyote ever drafted in the third round selection by Denver in the 1969.

While draft projections keep guys like ESPN’s Todd McShay and Mel Kiper and NFL.com’s Mike Mayock busy and fans intrigued, two-time All-American Compton remains committed to continuing his development as a prospect. Persistent training and hard work will help him continue his development as an NFL prospect, possibly attracting the interest of a team.

“Staying after it and continuing to get better every day with what you have done in your career will be what shows teams what you have,” Compton said.

USD Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Wesley Beschorner see good things ahead for his senior offensive tackle. Beschorner has observed the growth of Compton from a raw 250-pound freshman into a USD first-ever FCS first-team Associated Press All-American.

“Tom is one of the best and most balanced athletes ever in the Coyote football program,” said Beschorner. “He gave everything he had, developed quickly, and started every game of his career,” he said.

The Rosemount, Minn., native began attracting NFL scouts while a junior, eventually earning an invite to the East-West Shrine game following his senior campaign, when he led USD to a 6-5 mark. 

He excelled at the Shrine game and later become of 328 athletes in the nation to earn an invitation to the NFL Combine. He is also most likely the first Coyote ever to participate at the combine.

With his biggest audition for NFL teams at hand, Compton, on the advice of his agent Joel Segal, flew to Florida on the December day he graduated from USD (political science degree) to train with the former New England Patriots strength and conditioning coach Tom Shaw.

Shaw, director of Sports Performance Training based at the ESPN Word Wide of Sports Complex, has a proven record of helping prepare athletes for the combine and pro days. He has helped over 1,000 athletes, including eight NFL top draft picks, 130 first round NFL picks and nine Super Bowl MVPs.

“It was a speed training type deal where I was working on everything that would be covered at the Combine. Once I got to NFL Combine week, I treated it like a game-day week with preparing myself mentally and so on,” he said.

Like he has done on so many Coyote game days, Compton shined at the Combine. He had a 40-yard dash of 5.11, fifth-best among offensive linemen. His 10-second split, really a more worthy barometer for offensive lineman, was an amazing 1.69.  He was eighth in the vertical jump (30 inches), third in the broad jump (nine feet), eighth in the 3-cone drill (7.59) and sixth in the 20-yard shuttle (4.60).  He earned top performers marks in the 40, vertical, broad jump, 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle. After all was said and done at the combine, he graded out at 68.2, which according to NFL.com places him in a fourth round projection grouping.

“At the combine, you learn a lot of things,” said Compton, who has been rated by NFLdraftscout.com at #14 of 217 offensive tackles and 168 overall. “You learn how to handle yourself, how football is a business and that you need to treat it as such. I had a lot of meetings with teams, or basically a job interview,” he said.

With Compton, NFL teams see a resume that includes Compton’s recognition as a three-time All-Great West Conference selection, including first-team honors in 2010-11. He was named the GWC Offensive Lineman of the Year, besides earning fourth-team All-American honors from Phil Steele. 

As he strives for his NFL dream, Compton will stay focused on the task ahead. Yet, he also is appreciative of the many people that have helped make this opportunity possible.

He noted his brother, Nick, a former NDSU offensive lineman, as well as his parents, John and Karen Compton as the core group of support. “They have been my biggest supporters, always there for me,” he said.

After a standout prep career at Rosemount High, Minn., he came to USD where he blossomed as a tackle under the tutelage of Tony Spencer, a coach he credits for really kicking up his development.

“He was always my biggest supporter,” said Compton. “He told me as a freshman that I would be playing in the NFL one day. He saw something in me and made sure that I moved along in the right direction,” said Compton, who started 43 straight games at South Dakota.

Compton also sends out kudos to his offensive line mates, who become like brothers to him. “Guys like Matt Porisch, Scott Slotten and Brent Johnson have always been there for me,” he said.

He also recognizes that his experiences as a Coyote were crucial in his growth as a player. Whether it was stirring moments like wins over #1 Eastern Washington and Southern Utah, or character-building situations such as losses to Cal-Davis and North Dakota, all of it defines who he has become.

One of those moments - against Southern Utah earlier this year - showed why he will go down as one of the greatest offensive linemen turned out by the Coyote program.

“It was 4^th and one at the 50-yard line with a minute left,” said Beschorner. “I told him we were going over him for a first down. He was ready. Tom just buried the guy,” he said. “That really meant a lot to me,” said Compton. “It gave me confidence. I knew from that point that we could take on anyone and be successful. You always want to be in that situation, knowing that you can come through when your team is counting on you.”

Lessons learned happen both in wins and losses, noted Compton.

“When you lose a heart-breaker, it really humbles you and translates to life where something bad happens and you just have to rise above it and move on,” he said.

The experiences and the people he has met will always make being a Coyote special.

“I am so proud of having been part of the program in the transition,” he said. “We have come a long way. And, moving forward, I know they will do great things.”

Big things are also Beschorner’s expectation of his star offensive tackle. “He is a guy that we always leaned on. He is a difference-maker.”

Now, he just has to wait for the call on where that happens.