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Thursday morning the New York Giants announced that they have waived (injured) cornerback Mykkele Thompson.
The #NYGiants have waived/injured DB Mykkele Thompson and signed rookie LB Jimmy Herman. pic.twitter.com/evofgxamd2
— New York Giants (@Giants) August 10, 2017
Thompson was drafted out of the University of Texas in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. Despite showing a tantalizing blend of size and athleticism, Thompson’s career with the Giants has been sabotaged by injury.
His rookie season was ended by a torn Achilles tendon in the preseason opener. Thompson’s second season (2016) was ended by a knee injury in the Giants’ week-two game against the New Orleans Saints.
Despite his injury history, Thompson has been competing for a spot on the cornerback depth chart -- a change from previous seasons when he was listed as a safety. He has missed practices this camp with a quad injury. Thompson will likely pass through waivers and be placed on the Giants’ injured reserve list for a third straight season.
In the corresponding roster move, the Giants signed rookie linebacker Jimmy Herman out of Purdue.
Herman was a converted safety at Purdue, measuring 6 feet, 3 inches, 219 pounds at the Purdue pro day. He tested out well, with a 4.64sec 40 yard dash, 7.00sec 3-cone drill, 4.31 short shuttle, a 34-inch vertical jump and 10’7” broad jump. It will be interesting to see whether the Giants view Herman as a safety, a linebacker, or something in-between.