NEW MEXICO:Two-year starter who came out of nowhere to become one of the Mountain West Conference's top defensive linemen...was one of the smallest linemen in the MWC, but few players worked as hard in the trenches...his success was a testament to the value of perseverance and determination...returned to end midway through preseason practice in 2004 after switching to linebacker during the spring...fought his way back onto the field after going nearly 5 years without game action...was a rookie LB during All-American Brian Urlacher's senior year at UNM in 1999, but tore his right ACL on his only play in his collegiate debut vs. New Mexico State and received a medical redshirt...did not appear in any games in 2000...rejoined the program in the spring of 2003 after a two-year Mormon mission in New York City, in the Spanish Harlem area...learned to speak fluent Spanish on the streets of New York...age is 24...appeared in nine games in 2003, recording 6 tackles...became a regular contributor on special teams as the year went on...entered the 2004 season with limited experience at defensive end, but became a key member of the rotation in the second half of the season...emerged as a surprising playmaker when he joined the starting lineup...two-time MWC Defensive Player of the Week...also played over the ball if needed...dropped 20 pounds in the summer of `05...outstanding power in the weight room as well...earned the team's Beefmaster Award for players weighing between 251-275 pounds in the spring of `05...boasts a 415-pound bench, 385 incline bench, 313 power clean and 500-pound squad.2005 (SENIOR):Was one of the most explosive players on the Lobo defense this season, earning first team all-MWC honors for the first time in his career...elevated his performance, leading the D-line with all-MWC nose tackle Marcus Parker slowed much of the year with a broken hand...2nd on the team (T7th MWC) with a career-high 5.0 sacks (4 solo, 2 assisted) and career-best 9.5 tackles for loss (7 solo, 5 assisted)...official TFL total was T9th in the MWC, but 12 combined stops in the backfield was tied for 6th...career-high 40 tackles (18 solo) were tops among the UNM D-linemen...also had 13 QB hurries and returned a fumble 28 yards for his first career TD at any level of football...at Utah...Two more tackles, including a big 12-yard sack of QB Brian Johnson...also credited for a QB pressure and helped the Lobo defense shut down Utah's powerful running game...vs. Colorado State...Got in on just 2 tackles, but played a big part as the UNM front line limited CSU to just 31 rushing yards on 41 carries...flushed the QB or hurried his throw twice on the night and ran down WR David Anderson for a minimal gain on a screen play...at San Diego State...Another fine performance, teaming with NT Marcus Parker to help the Lobos control the line...credited for 3 solo tackles, including 2 for loss, and also had a pair of QB hurries...ran sideline to sideline to take away screen passes and help limit SDSU star RB Lynell Hamilton to just 28 yards on 9 carries...at Wyoming...Good effort to help the Lobos shut down the running game and hold the Cowboy offense 50 yards under its season average...notched a pair of tackles and a QB hurry...also blew up a WR screen pass on the Cowboys' final drive of the day, hitting Cowboy star Jovon Bouknight as the ball arrived...UW eventually had to settle for a long FG attempt two plays later that missed wide...vs. BYU...Fine performance against a high-powered offense...played all 80 snaps, recording a career-high 1.5 sacks and matching his career best with 2.5 tackles for loss...stuffed RB Curtis Brown for a 5-yard loss and dropped QB John Beck for an 8-yard sack on back-to-back plays in the 3rd quarter to force a Cougar punt...finished with 5 stops overall and had a QB hurry...at UTEP...Part of a strong defensive effort against a high-powered Miner offense...helped hold RB Tyler Ebell to 42 yards rushing, 64 below his season average and did a nice job of pressuring QB Jordan Palmer...notched 4 tackles and had a QB hurry...also drew a holding penalty while trying to chase Palmer...never left the field, playing all 62 snaps...vs. New Mexico State...No hangover from his big performance at Missouri as he made 5 tackles, including a sack against the Aggies...kept NMSU QBs on the run with 3 QB hurries on the night...led the D-line once again with 60 snaps...at Missouri...Inspired effort, recording a career-high 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss (1 solo and 2 assisted) in a incredible 91 plays at both end and nose tackle...scored his first career TD when he scooped up Tiger QB Brad Smith's fumble and returned it 28 yards to give the Lobos a 28-21 lead one minute into the 2nd half...dropped Smith for a 10-yard sack on a 4th-and-10 play from the UNM 28 with less than a minute left in the game to secure the Lobos' upset victory...also had two QB hurries...named MWC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance...vs. UNLV...Solid start to the season...made three tackles, including a 5-yard sack in the second half...got into the backfield several times to force running plays another direction.2004 (JUNIOR):Was perhaps the Lobos' most improved player, developing into an active, aggressive starter on the defensive line...saw his playing time steadily increase throughout the year and became another unexpected impact player on a surprisingly strong Lobo defensive line...appeared in the first 5 games off the bench, but joined the starting lineup for the first time in his career at Air Force and started the final 7 games of the season...26 tackles on the year, including 6 tackles for loss (5 solo, 2 assisted) and 2.5 sacks (2 solo, 1 assisted)...also had a forced fumble, 3 QB hurries and a pass break up...19 of his 32 career tackles, including 5.5 TFLs, came in the last 7 games of 2004...at Colorado State...Continued his exceptional play, recording 3 solo tackles, including 2 for loss...his effort helped the Lobo D limit CSU to its lowest rushing performance in 5 years (35 yards)...vs. San Diego State...Turned in the best game of his career to help lead an inspired UNM defensive effort which limited SDSU to -19 rushing yards and 146 total yards, 259 below its season average...set the defensive tone of the game early, with 3 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in the 1st quarter...seemed to cover the entire field, making tackles in the backfield, 10 yards down the field, between the tackles and near the sidelines...finished with a career-high 7 stops with 2.5 TFLs, a 9-yard sack and a forced fumble in 52 snaps to garner MWC Defensive Player of the Week honors...second only to unit leader Nick Speegle with an evalutation score of 22 points...at UNLV...Only one stop, but made it count, notching his first career sack for a 6-yard loss to help keep the Rebels out of the endzone in the 4th quarter...at Air Force...Nearly equaled his 4-year career totals in his first career start with 4 tackles a career-high 40 snaps on the night...helped a gutsy 2nd half effort by the Lobo defense which limited Air Force to just 43 rushing yards over the final 2 quartersHIGH SCHOOL:A 1999 graduate of Waller HS in Hockley, a Houston suburb...first team all-state defensive lineman as a senior with 52 tackles and 11 sacks...also earned district defensive player of the year honors...a 3-year letterman who played nose guard as a sophomore, defensive end as a junior and defensive tackle his senior season...played for coach Jim Phillips...advanced to the state wrestling championships his final two years, and he tossed the shot put as well
PERSONAL:Born March 20, 1981, in Kingston, Jamaica...age is 24...full name is Evroy Athony Dodd Thompson...son of Philbert and Moreen, who were both born in Jamaica...Evroy was an Eagle Scout...majoring in Biology with a minor in Spanish.CAREER HIGHS:Tackles: 8, at Missouri (9/10/05).Tackles For Loss: 2.5, (twice). Sacks: 1.5, vs. BYU (10/8/05). |
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