The Washington Huskies simply didn’t have the bodies to compete in the Big Ten along the defensive line in 2024. Jedd Fisch made addressing the position a top priority in the transfer portal, bringing in three defensive tackles, including Western Michigan’s Anterio Thompson.
Thompson took what can be considered a modern college football journey to get to Washington, starting at Iowa Western Community College before stops at Iowa and Western Michigan, eventually landing in Seattle. With 35 tackles, 2 pass breakups, and a sack to his name, the senior hasn’t had the most productive career, but he brings the strength and athleticism defensive coordinator Ryan Walters needs in the middle of his scheme.
On Thursday, he put his strength on display in a video posted on social media with a 635-pound back squat during one of Washington’s offseason workouts.
In Walters’ scheme, which is effectively a 5-1-5, meaning there will be five players on the line of scrimmage, three defensive tackles and two outside linebackers, Thompson will be a critical piece if the Huskies want to improve their run defense in 2025.
“There’s a one-on-one matchup on the center, guard, and guard,” Big Ten Network’s Jake Butt said of the scheme on the Locked On Huskies podcast. “Centers and guards are used to being able to double-team and work together, not in this scheme. Every single opponent had a one-on-one matchup over the center and both guards with great athletes.”
Thompson, who is an impressive athlete who blocked a pair of punts during his time at Iowa, showed off that he has the strength to win those matchups and hold his ground against the run.
Alongside his fellow transfers, Simote Pepa and Ta’ita’i Uiagaleilei, plus a revamped sense of depth thanks to Bryce Butler, Elinneus Davis, Logan Sagapolu, and several others, Thompson could become a piece of a much-improved run defense that finished No. 87 in the country in 2024 after allowing an average of 161.8 yards per game on the ground.
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