Shaq Thompson is playing as good as Thomas Davis in his prime.

[NAS]

I actually think he's been better than TD this season, particularly in coverage.

[ForJimmy]

It’s all the talent around him. It allows him to roam free and make plays.

[OldhamA]

1 hour ago, Zod said:

He really is. Shaq has been outstanding. 

Oooooph, no, but there's been a marked improvement in his play this year.

I don't know if Snow is asking him to do less, but he's making more plays on the field this year. 

Davis was an All-Pro LB. You're doing him a disservice with this thread title. I'd argue he's the third best LB to ever play for the franchise... and there's a big gap between the three guys on the podium and everyone else (Kuechly, Morgan, Davis).

[MasterAwesome]

85.9 PFF rating for whoever cares  I am pretty sure I also heard either last night or in Week 2 that he was the highest rated LB in coverage this season.  That's a relief since it would always seem in previous seasons that we gave up way too many easy passes to the TE and RB.

[Fox007]

What do we have to back that up. I'm not even saying that he isn't but what comparison do we have. The eye test to me is not TD in his prime but he's not a fugin scrub either. I mean hell they were even insinuating that TD could be up for the HoF on GMF when he was talking about Steve Smith. 

I personally think it's a stretch for TD but it does go to show you what that 15-1 season with a SB win to top it off would have done for some of our guys. Probably would have Olsen in, Kalil in, TD in, Luke in, Cam in. Losing really does change a lot of it.

[Gregg S]

32 minutes ago, MasterAwesome said:

I remember one of the commentators last night calling him "one of the best LBs in the league" or maybe even "THE best LB in the league"...can't remember their wording but I remember being kinda caught off guard that he's got that kind of reputation.

Yeah, I heard that, too.  He did say "one of the best."

[frankw]

Credit where it's due Shaq has been great and it's what we all wanted to see. Hats off to him.

[t96]

35 minutes ago, gofightwin said:

Trending toward All-Pro after 3 games?!?  He has a couple nice games against some of the worst offenses in the league...lets not get crazy.  

Yes it's a small sample size, hence the word "trending." He's been the best off ball LB in the league so far.

[SBBlue]

35 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

It’s all the talent around him. It allows him to roam free and make plays.

Yup.  LB is like the QB of the D.  

[gorillamilitia13]

Shaq looks like a monster out there cause he got bigger this off season. That and number change make him look like a different man and I love it. 

[Rags]

Carter playing ILB instead of Shaq has really allowed both of  them to shine.

JCJ reacts and diagnoses decently well and Shaq has absolutely stepped into that TD role. 

[*FreeFua*]

1 hour ago, L-TownCat said:

Agreed.  This defense suits him.  But if im being honest, I think Shaq has benefitted from Chinn moving back a level.

A linebacker can only be so good if the players around him aren’t good.

We saw that with Luke near the end when our D started to tail off. Shaq then was left with that same defense for the bulk of his career.

Now that the talent on defense has greatly improved Shaq is able to play his position and not try to do too much/overcompensate.

[Davidson Deac II]

1 hour ago, Mr. Scot said:

Thompson was never really bad. He just wasn't as good as his paycheck.

That may no longer be true.

Maybe he was always this good, just had to find the right defense/coaching staff/surrounding players to bring it out in him.  

[ForJimmy]

9 minutes ago, SBBlue said:

Yup.  LB is like the QB of the D.  

Makes me think of what Luke could have done with this defense.