CAREER NOTES & RECORDS
Career: Tied for fourth all-time at Penn State with two career punt return touchdowns, matching 10 other Nittany Lions (most recently: Larry Johnson, 1998-2002)...Became 31st Nittany Lion with more than 1,000 career receiving yards...Finished his career ranked 21st in at PSU in career receiving yards (1,245).
Game: Set a school record for punt return average in a game with 31.8 yard per return vs. Akron (9/2/17), besting Derrick Williams' mark of 31.7 vs. Temple (2006).
2018 • SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Earned the Quarterback Club Award, as a player who deserves special recognition, at the team's awards banquet...Selected to the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week following the Kent State (9/15) game.
Season: Appeared in 13 games, making six starts...One of 22 players to have earned their degree entering the 2019 Citrus Bowl...Graduated with his degree in psychology in December 2017...Graduated in December 2018 with a degree in criminology.
Rankings: Ranked No. 6 in the FBS and leads the Big Ten with one punt return touchdown...Finished No. 3 in the conference and ranks No. 24 in the nation with a 9.8 punt return average.
Appalachian State (9/1): Had a 29-yard punt return in the first quarter. at Pittsburgh (9/8): Returned a punt 39 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, his second career punt return touchdown. Kent State (9/15): Caught four passes for 101 yards, recording his second career 100-yard game...Hauled in a 40-yard touchdown pass and made a 39-yard grab...Returned three punts for 62 yards, including a long return of 32 yards. at Illinois (9/21): Caught two passes for 10 yards...Returned two punts for 30 yards, including a 22-yard return. Ohio State (9/29): Had four punt returns. Michigan State (10/13): Returned three punts for 17 yards, including a 15-yard return. at Indiana (10/20): Hauled in a 13-yard grab...Had one punt return. Iowa (10/27): Caught five passes for 59 yards, including a 15-yard grab...Had one punt return. Wisconsin (11/10): Hauled in five receptions for 31 yards...Made a 14-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter...Added a 4-yard punt return. at Rutgers (11/17): Had a 5-yard reception. Maryland (11/24): Caught three passes for 36 yards, including a 21-yard reception. vs. Kentucky (1/1): Caught four passes for 74 yards, including a 23-yard catch in the first quarter and a 24-yard grab in the fourth quarter.
2017 • JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and third-team accolades from the media voters as a return specialist...Garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors as a punt returner from Phil Steele.
Season: Appeared in all 13 games with eight starts...Became the first Penn Stater to return a punt for a touchdown since Derrick Williams at Wisconsin in 2008...Was the first punt return touchdown by a Nittany Lion at Beaver Stadium since Williams did so vs. Notre Dame in 2007.
Rankings: Ranked No. 5 nationally and led the Big Ten in punt return average (13.3 ypr)...Tied for No. 10 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten in punt return touchdowns (1)...Finished No. 78 in the FBS and No. 8 in the Big Ten in yards per reception (15.82).
Akron (9/2): Caught two passes for 29 yards...Returned four punts for 127 yards and one touchdown...His first-quarter punt return for a touchdown was the opening score of the game and first Penn State punt return for a touchdown since 2008 (Derrick Williams; at Wisconsin)...Was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Nittany Lion at Beaver Stadium since 2007 (Williams; Notre Dame)...Set a career high with 156 all-purpose yards...Named the coaching staff’s Special Teams Player of the Week. Pittsburgh (9/9): Made one catch for 12 yards...Returned three punts for 31 yards...Had a long return of 16 yards. Georgia State (9/16): Caught three passes for 25 yards, all coming on Penn State’s first scoring drive...Returned three punts for 44 yards, including a long return of 27 yards. at Iowa (9/23): Caught two passes for 14 yards...Returned one punt for 4 yards. Indiana (9/30): Made two grabs for 53 yards...Both catches went for first downs on Penn State scoring drives. at Northwestern (10/7): Totaled 57 yards on a career-high six receptions...Returned three punts for 33 yards...Had a long punt return of 32 yards in the fourth quarter. Michigan (10/21): Returned two punts for 20 yards...Had a long return of 18 yards. at Ohio State: Hauled in two passes for 49 yards...Made a 37-yard touchdown catch that was initially ruled an interception, but was overturned and ruled a touchdown catch upon review. at Michigan State (11/4): Caught four passes for a career-high 102 yards to account for his first career 100-yard receiving game...Hauled in a 70-yard touchdown catch to end the third quarter, tying for his longest career receptions (Maryland, 2016)...Teamed with DaeSean Hamilton (112 yards) as the first Penn State duo to log 100 receiving yards in the same game since the 2016 Big Ten Championship Game. Rutgers (11/11): Returned two punts for 10 yards. Nebraska (11/18): Lone catch went for 15 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter...Returned one punt for 10 yards. at Maryland (11/25): Made three catches for 48 yards...Returned two punts for 25 yards, including a long of 20 yards in the fourth quarter. vs. Washington (12/30): Caught two passes for 39 yards...Had a 34-yard catch and run to set up first-and-goal in front of Penn State’s third score of the game...Returned three punts for 15 yards with a long punt return of 20 yards in the fourth quarter.
2016 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Season: Appeared in 13 games with seven starts...Made his first career start at Pittsburgh...One of 18 first-time starters in 2016.
Final Rankings: No. 70 nationally and No. 4 in the Big Ten in yards per reception (16.30 ypr).
Kent State (9/3): Made one catch for 43 yards. at Pittsburgh (9/10): Made his first collegiate start...Made three receptions for 87 receiving yards...On Penn State’s third scoring drive, made a 14-yard grab on third-and-8 and a 39-yard catch to set up first-and-goal from the Pittsburgh 2-yard line...Had a 34-yard catch and run on fourth-and-16 in the fourth quarter. Temple (9/17): Made three grabs for 36 yards. at Michigan (9/24): Made three catches...Had two tackles. Minnesota (10/1): Made a career-high four catches...Totaled 72 yards on the day...Made a then-career-long 53 yard reception in the first quarter. Maryland (10/1): Led all players with 91 receiving yards on four receptions...Hauled in a career-long 70-yard catch for his first career touchdown catch to end the third quarter. Iowa (11/5): Had one catch for 25 yards...Returned one punt for 2 yards...Returned his first career kickoff for 5 yards. at Rutgers (11/19): Made four catches...Totaled 40 yards receiving. Michigan State (11/26): Caught two passes for 38 yards. vs. USC (1/2): Made two grabs for 9 yards.
2015 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Appeared in 13 games...Was one of 17 redshirt freshmen to see action...Combined with Brandon Polk (vs. Buffalo) to become the first Penn State wide receiver pair with rushing touchdowns in the same Season since 2008 when Derrick Williams and Chaz Powell both had rushing scores.
Final Rankings: Ranked 38th in the FBS and seventh in the Big Ten with 7.7 yards per punt return.
at Temple (9/5): Had one rush for no gain. Buffalo (9/12): Logged four punt returns for 71 yards (14.2 ypr)...Ran back his first career punt 58 yards to set up Penn State’s first score of the game...His 58-yard return was the longest by a Nittany Lion since Derrick Williams’ 63-yard punt return for a touchdown at Wisconsin in 2008...The 58-yard return was also the longest non-scoring punt return since Mike Archie had a 62-yard return at Michigan State in 1993. Rutgers (9/19): Scored his first career touchdown on a 6-yard rush in the second quarter...Returned three punts for 20 yards (6.7 ypr). San Diego State (9/26): Returned four punts for 17 yards...Had a long punt return of 10 yards in the second quarter. Army (10/3): Returned one punt for 25 yards. Indiana (10/10): Had two rushing attempts for 11 yards...Returned five punts for 32 yards (6.4 ypr) with a long return of 19 yards in the fourth quarter. vs. Maryland (10/24): Made his first career reception – a 2-yard grab – in the second quarter. Illinois (10/31): Caught two passes for 31 yards...Grabbed a 31-yard reception on Penn State’s first scoring drive. at Northwestern (11/7): Returned two punts for 9 yards...Had a long punt return of 8 yards. Michigan (11/21): Had one punt return for 1 yard.
2014 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Redshirt Season.
HIGH SCHOOL
A two-time letterman at Swansboro High School for coach Tim Laspada...Played multiple positions, spending time at running back and receiver, along with returning kickoffs and punts...Was invited to The Opening on the Nike campus...Played in the Under Armour All-America Game...Rushed for 699 yards and nine touchdowns, while making 28 receptions for 269 yards and four scores...Helped the Pirates to an 8-4 record and an appearance in the NCHSAA 3A playoffs as a senior team captain...Amassed more than 2,000 all-purpose yards during his junior Season and gained nearly 1,500 all-purpose yards as a senior...Saw time in the secondary where he totaled 100 tackles, two interceptions and recovered seven fumbles...Rated a four-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports...Ranked 66th in the ESPN300...Was a top-10 recruit in North Carolina by ESPN (5th) and 247Sports (10th)...Was rated among the nation's Top 40 prep wide receivers by three of the major recruiting services.
PERSONAL
Full name is DeAndre Lewis Thompkins...Son of Shawn and Jawanna Thompkins...Has one younger brother, Tayshawn...Mother, Jawanna, played softball at Florida A&M University...Enjoys playing the guitar and watching movies...Graduated in December 2017 with a degree in psychology...Working on a second degree in criminology...Would like to pursue a career in neuropsychology...Born October 1, 1995 in Pensacola, Florida.