Thompson indicates he's returning for senior season

While he didn’t formally announce it, Georgia defensive tackle Trenton Thompson sent a strong hint that he will be back for his senior season.

Thompson, a junior from Albany, posted a short message on his Instagram account including a couple of hashtags that signals he will stay in college and finish up his degree.

“Looking ahead! #UGA19 #SeniorSoon,” he wrote.

Getting Thompson back would be huge for Georgia. Entering the season, Thompson was someone seen as a potential early-entry into the NFL draft. This season, Thompson has recorded 33 tackles with three going for a loss. He earned Liberty Bowl MVP honors last postseason after totaling three sacks against TCU.

Thompson began his Georgia career as one of the top recruits in the country in 2015. The prized prospect of Georgia’s recruiting class of 2015, Thompson jumped into the defensive line rotation immediately and was a starter by his first midseason.

Over the past two seasons under head coach Kirby Smart, Thompson has played a vital role as part of a rotation that has featured up to nine players at times in games.

Thompson’s return would be big since Georgia will lose quite a few contributors on this year’s defense, which ranks fourth in the nation at allowing only 270.9 total yards per game. Defensive tackle John Atkins, outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter, outside linebacker Davin Bellamy, defensive back Aaron Davis and safety Dominick Sanders are all starters set to graduate.

Junior inside linebacker Roquan Smith, a prospect who has been mentioned as a potential top-15 pick in the 2018 NFL draft, has yet to decide if he will return for his final season of eligibility.

During this season, Thompson dealt with a sprained MCL suffered against Tennessee. He missed games against Vanderbilt and Missouri before returning to face Florida. Thompson has proven to be a player to battle through injuries, considering he has also injured both shoulders and both ankles previously.

“It drives you,” safety J.R. Reed said. “If you get a little nick or bruise you know you can fight through it because Trent did it.”

This story was originally published December 9, 2017 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Thompson indicates he's returning for senior season."