South Alabama to take a chance on MLB 1st-round draft pick in college football

Bubba Thompson, a first-round MLB draft pick in 2017, will switch from baseball to football as he joins the South Alabama Jaguars.

South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite announced that he will join the team as a walk-on for spring practices, as he shared a video of himself throwing a football at the school's football facility on his Facebook page.

"We back y’all," he captioned the clip.

While attending McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Alabama, Thompson, 26, played football and led the school to a state title game in 2017.

Although he initially committed to the University of Alabama to play baseball, he never enrolled in college. Instead, he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2017 with their No. 26 overall pick and decided to pursue a Major League career.

In 2022, Thompson was a speedster on the basepaths, recording 18 stolen bags in 55 games. He played for the Rangers in 2023, appearing in 37 games. Last year, he joined the Cincinnati Reds and played in 17 games.

Although he did not attend college, he has five years of eligibility. He was rated as a two-star quarterback by rivals upon graduation.

In their first year under Applewhite, South Alabama finished with a 7-6 record and ended the season with a victory in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.

Gio Lopez and Bishop Davenport played quarterback for the Jaguars last season.

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