Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson was the fastest draftee at the 2026 NFL Combine. He ran a 4.26 40-yard dash, and Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel wanted the speedster on the team next season.
Before the Chargers drafted Thompson with the No. 105 in the fourth round, McDaniel told Chargers’ staff members he would take his shirt off in celebration if the franchise acquired Thompson.
“In this whole formula, if you can find a way to get Brenen Thompson, I will take my shirt off in here… On the record,” McDaniel said in the Chargers’ draft room before selecting Thompson on Day 3 of the draft.
The Chargers sacrificed the No. 86 pick in the third round to the Cleveland Browns in order to get the No. 105 pick they used to draft Thompson. In addition to the No. 105 pick, Los Angeles received the No. 145 pick in the fifth round and No. 206 pick in the sixth round from Cleveland.
Once the Chargers had secured Thompson, McDaniel said everyone should be fired up about landing the Second Team All-SEC selection.
“If you’re not fired up. You are dead. You have no pulse,” McDaniel said.
"if you're not fired up, you're dead" – mike mcdaniel pic.twitter.com/8oUsYZlJ5a
When the Chargers called Thompson to inform him they would be drafting him, McDaniel expressed his excitement to start working with the incoming rookie.
“I’m so excited to see you. I see your passion in your eyes. This is the first day of the rest of your life. Let’s go,” McDaniel said to Thompson on the phone. “Look at that powder blue. Yeah, you’re going to do elite stuff. Just start running right now. Now go party. Take your shirt off, all right?”
Thompson is joining the Chargers after setting the Mississippi State single-season receiving yards record with 1,054 yards in 2025. He played one season with Mississippi State as a senior, two with Oklahoma as a sophomore and junior and one with Texas as a freshman.
Thompson became the first Mississippi State player to lead the SEC in receiving yards and was the fourth player in program history to have a 1,000-yard receiving season.
He’ll compete for playing time at wide receiver against projected starters Ladd McConkey, Tre’ Harris and Quentin Johnston.
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