This is part of a series profiling Penn State players eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, April 23-26.
Penn State’s punter from down under is hoping to make the NFL his next stop .
Following a lengthy college career, Riley Thompson is vying for a spot at the next level despite losing the starting job at Penn State to Gabe Nwosu in 2025.
After playing Australian rules football at Haileybury College and Deakin, Thompson spent 2022 punting for Florida Atlantic before arriving at Penn State. In two seasons starting for the Nittany Lions, Thompson totaled 102 punts for an average of 44.2 yards with a long of 63.
While Thompson didn’t have the size or power of his counterpart Nwosu, he proved more consistent and arguably had a better showing at Pro Day.
“I would say, like, I try to bring a positive attitude every day,” Thompson said. “I mean, I pride myself on bringing good energy to myself and other people. Because I think if I bring other people up with me, it brings me up, and it just makes the whole organization better as a whole.”
Pro Day results:
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 217 pounds
Projection: Undrafted
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