Nitro head coach Boom McKinney doesn’t have to think long about where wide receiver Malachi Thompson fits into the picture of athletes that he has coached.
“No question he’s one of the most athletic kids I’ve ever seen since I’ve been coaching,” he said.
McKinney said that Thompson checks all of the boxes at the wide receiver position as he is 6-foot-5, with good size, strength and leaping ability that is packaged all into one frame.
“He runs a 4.50 40 and can jump out of the gym. He runs great routes, and West Virginia is getting a top notch football player,” he said.
McKinney has been coaching Thompson since his sophomore season when he transferred from Sissonville, and he has seen him mature in the pass-friendly system at Nitro. Couple his athletic traits with his work ethic and it’s been a recipe that has led to a lot of success on the field. As a junior, Thompson hauled in 74 passes for 1,590 yards and 18 touchdowns and was selected as the Randy Moss Award winner in the state.
Part of his success is his ability to get open and find grass, but he also possesses the ability to change direction well and go up and snag the football at its highest point.
And Thompson flashed those abilities in front of the West Virginia coaching staff with an impressive showing at the 7-on-7 camp earlier in June. That experience led to a scholarship offer from the Mountaineers and it was a big deal for Thompson as it was a major goal of his throughout the process.
“He worked on his speed and got that where it needed to be, and he went up there and showed out. He was unstoppable up there. It’s going to hurt to lose him, but he works at everything he does,” he said.
An unselfish player, Thompson also is a very strong blocker and at times even in timeouts would tell his coaches to get the football to other players when he was getting double teamed.
“He wants to see everybody do well and be successful on the team. He’s not a rah-rah type of leader but he does lead by example and does things the right way,” McKinney said.
Even with what Thompson currently has in his toolbox, McKinney believes that there is still plenty of potential for him to develop further once he gets in a college weight program and coaching at that level. He also has the ability to play inside wide receiver on top of what he can do on the outside.
“I think the sky is the limit for him. He expects a lot out of himself,” he said.
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