With an aging Chad Greenway, outside linebacker is a big position of need for the Vikings. Fortunately there are three currently projected in the first round.

But the one that has garnered the most attention around Minnesota is Shaq Thompson. A 6 foot, wide-ranging linebacker out of Washington, Thompson made 81 tackles, forced two fumbles and picked off a pass for the Huskies in 2014. He also averaged 7.5 yards per carry as a part-time back and played a huge role on special teams.

Here is NFL.com’s “bottom-line” review of Shaq Thompson:

Long, twitchy 4-3 outside linebacker with outstanding range to become a highly restrictive defender able to make plays well outside of his area against both the run and pass. With his big-play potential, Thompson could become a unique chess piece in the hands of the right defensive coordinator. He can help on special teams right away and might start off as a sub-package player while he fills out his frame.

The Vikings seemed to have interest at the combine. Thompson met and spoke with Mike Zimmer, who recently mentioned the importance of versatility at the linebacker position.

He’s slightly undersized, but has drawn some comparisons to Troy Polamalu. The fact that he played running back and gained 456 yards this year is a big testament to his athleticism.

But would his combine results impress? Thompson measured in at 228 pounds, small for a linebacker. His 4.64 40 time was the seventh-best among linebackers, while short shuttle (4.07 seconds) and his 3-cone (6.99 seconds) ranked third-best and fourth-best, respectively.

The performance certainly didn’t vault him into the top-10. In fact, he dropped to the end of the first round on most big boards. But the Vikings could trade back for him if the choose not to pick him at 11.

Thompson also took snaps at safety in college, but said linebacker is the place for him.

“That’s where I feel the most comfortable,” Thompson said recently. “I like to be up by the line of scrimmage. I feel like I’m physical enough. I’m not the biggest guy, but I have a lot of heart. Even if a guy is better than me, I’m not going to think he’s better than me. My confidence is going to be high. I’m going to feel I can guard him. I’ll never be on the field thinking somebody’s better than me even if they are. That’s the mindset you have to have.”

Let’s not forget about another important side to the story. Gerald Hodges and Audie Cole played relatively well in their opportunities at OLB last year. In fact, Cole played outstanding in his one start in the last game of the season. He finished with 14 tackles and was all over the field. Hodges is only 24 and finished with 66 tackles, .5 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown.

First things first, the Vikings need to make sure one of these guys isn’t ready to make the next step.

To conclude, Thompson is just another very interesting prospect for the Vikings, and there are several other positions of need. But the thought of him behind the defensive line next to Anthony Barr is very exciting.

Jan 2, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies linebacker Shaq Thompson (7) prior to the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2015 Cactus Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports