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Syd'Quan Thompson

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Syd'Quan Thompson
Thompson with the Denver Broncos in 2011
No. 22
PositionCornerback
Personal information
Born (1987-02-07) February 7, 1987 (age 39)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Listed weight182 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High schoolGrant Union (Sacramento)
CollegeCalifornia
NFL draft2010 (7th round, 225th overall pick)
Career history
Playing
* Offseason or practice squad member only
Coaching
Awards and highlights
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles18
Fumble recoveries1
Pass deflections4
Interceptions2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Syd'Quan Tramele Thompson (born February 7, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears and was selected by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL draft.

Since 2022, Thompson has served as co-head coach of his alma mater, Grant Union High School in Sacramento, California. He has led the Pacers to two CIF state championships.

Early life

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Thompson was born in Sacramento, California.[1] He attended Grant Union High School where he played football and earned all-state honors three times. As a junior in 2004, he recorded 950 rushing yards for 18 touchdowns, 15 receptions for 360 yards and four touchdowns, returned five punts, and returned one kickoff for a touchdown. That year, Rivals.com ranked him the number-one junior player in the state, and he received the California Mr. Football Award. As a senior, he recorded more than 70 tackles, two interceptions, 1,000 rushing yards, and 12 touchdowns. The Sacramento Bee named him to its all-metro second team.[1]

Scout.com rated him the number-five player in its West Hot 100. Rivals.com rated him the 13th-ranked athlete in the nation and the 21st-ranked player in California. ESPN assessed him as the 11th-ranked cornerback in the nation. PrepStar named him an All-American, as did SuperPrep, which also rated him the 17th-ranked defensive back in the nation and the 13th-ranked player in California.[1] Thompson was rated a four-star prospect by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.[2][3] He received scholarship offers from Arizona, California, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA, and Washington.[2]

College career

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2005–2007 seasons

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Thompson enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley where he majored in social welfare. He sat out the 2005 season as a redshirt. In 2006, starting cornerback Tim Mixon suffered a knee injury before the season, which forced Thompson to fill in that role for the remainder of the season.[1] In the season-opener against Tennessee, Thompson played with a cast because of a broken wrist and was twice outpaced by All-American wide receiver Robert Meachem for touchdown receptions. Tennessee won, 35–18.[4] Thompson started all 13 games of the season, and he recorded 60 tackles including 35 solo, two fumble recoveries including one returned for a touchdown against Stanford, and one interception. The Sporting News named him to its freshman All-Pac-10 team. In 2007, Thompson again started all 13 games and recorded 78 tackles including six for loss, ten broken-up passes, and one interception.[1]

2008 season

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Thompson in October 2008

In 2008, he started in all 13 games at cornerback and as served as the punt returner. He recorded four interceptions for 128 yards and 18 passes defended. Against Washington State, he set a school single-game record with 108 interception return yards.[1] In that game, he intercepted one pass and returned it 90 yards, before being caught by Washington State running back Christopher Ivory five yards short of the goal line. California scored on its ensuing possession, but Thompson reported he was teased by his teammates and asserted that he "was good for the first 40 yards, but then my back and my hip started tightening up".[5] Against Colorado State, he returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown, for which he was named the Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week. Thompson was named to the All-Pac-10 first team.[1]

2009 season

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Prior to the 2009 season, Thompson was named a preseason All-American by Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, and other national publications.[4] The Austin-American Statesman and ESPNU considered Thompson key to a strong California secondary.[6][7] One teammate, California linebacker Worrell Williams, said in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle that Thompson would "shut down one side of the field when he's out there."[8]

Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout rated Thompson 15th of its Top 32 seniors for the 2009 season, and wrote: "His straight-line speed, agility, reliable open-field tackling and natural return skills would be earning significantly more attention from the national media if he played in the Big Ten or SEC."[9] The NFL Draft Scout assessed him as the best cornerback out of the 226 available for the 2010 NFL draft and projected him as a first or second round selection.[10] Following his senior season, Thompson represented Cal at the 2010 Senior Bowl.[1]

Professional career

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Denver Broncos

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Thompson was selected in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Broncos as the 225th overall selection.[11] He recorded his first NFL interception against the New York Jets on October 17, 2010.[12]

On September 2, 2011, during the Broncos' last preseason game at the Arizona Cardinals, Thompson suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, and missed the entire 2011 season.[13] Thompson was released from the Denver Broncos roster during the roster cuts before the 2012 regular season.[14]

San Jose SaberCats

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Thompson was assigned to the San Jose SaberCats, of the Arena Football League, on November 1, 2013.

Orlando Predators

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On February 3, 2014, Thompson was traded, along with Quentin Sims and Andre Freeman, to the Orlando Predators for Simeon Castille.[15]

Los Angeles Kiss

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On February 6, 2014, Thompson was traded, along with Matt Spanos, to the Los Angeles Kiss.[16]

Coaching career

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In 2022, Thompson was named co-head coach of his alma mater, Grant Union High School in Sacramento, California, alongside Carl Reed.[17] Thompson and Reed led the Pacers on a turnaround from an 0–9 2021 season, culminating in winning the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division 3-AA championship. The championship was Grant's second in program history.[18]

After losing the Division 2-AA championship game in 2023, Thompson, Reed, and the Pacers won the 2024 Division 2-AA title for their second state triumph in three years.[19]

Personal life

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Thompson's younger brother Shaq also played in the NFL.[20] Syd'Quan has two children.[21][22]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Grant Union Pacers (Sacramento Metropolitan Area League) (2022–present)
2022 Grant Union 12–25–11stW CIF Division 3-AA Championship
2023 Grant Union 12–35–11stL CIF Division 2-AA Championship
2024 Grant Union 12–35–01stW CIF Division 2-AA Championship
Grant Union: 36–815–2
Total:36–8

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Syd'Quan Thompson". University of California, Berkeley. June 24, 2010. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Syd'Quan Thompson Profile, Scout.com, retrieved July 31, 2009.
  3. ↑ Syd'Quan Thompson Profile, Rivals.com, retrieved July 31, 2009.
  4. 1 2 Okanes, Jonathan (June 15, 2009). "Cal's Thompson tops everyone's list". Contra Costa Times. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  5. ↑ Simmons, Rusty (September 7, 2008). "90-yard run left Thompson just short". San Francisco Chronicle. p. C-10. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  6. ↑ Tijerina, Richard (July 16, 2009). "No. 15 California". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on July 22, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  7. ↑ Miller, Ted (July 10, 2009). "Hope and concern: California". Pac-10 Blog. ESPNU. Archived from the original on July 14, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  8. ↑ Simmons, Rusty (September 6, 2008). "Cal's shutdown corner Thompson has hands full with Cougars' Gibson". San Francisco Chronicle. p. D-1. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  9. ↑ Rang, Rob (July 10, 2009). "Top 32 seniors: Top heavy with the heftier prospects". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Syd'Quan Thompson". NFLDraftScout.com. Sports XChange. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  11. ↑ "2010 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Syd'Quan Thompson 2010 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  13. ↑ Oates, Russ (September 2, 2011). "Broncos' Syd'Quan Thompson Lost For Season With Torn Achilles". SB Nation Denver. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  14. ↑ Klis, Mike; Legwold, Jeff (September 3, 2011). "Broncos' Thompson joins long list of players with Achilles injuries". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  15. ↑ "SaberCats Acquire DB Simeon Castille from Orlando". OurSports Central. February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Predators Complete Two Trades Thursday Night". OurSports Central. February 6, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  17. ↑ McCue, Jim (January 16, 2023). "NorCal Football Coaches Of The Year: Grant's Carl Reed & Syd'Quan Thompson". SportsStars Magazine. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  18. ↑ Biderman, Chris (December 11, 2022). "State football champs! Grant High wins it all in last-second thriller after going winless in 2021". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  19. ↑ Davidson, Joe (December 13, 2024). "Grant's gritty Pacers do it again with a late drive, winning CIF State title. 'For the G!'". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Shaq Thompson". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 26, 2026.
  21. ↑ Jones, Lindsay H. (November 27, 2010). "Syd'Quan Thompson: Guarding his locks, flock". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2026. ...his daughter, whom he named Syd'Naeja when she was born three years ago.
  22. ↑ Suter, Rick (March 26, 2025). "7th grade football talent Syd'Quan Thompson Jr. gets offer from Sacramento State". USA Today. Retrieved July 26, 2026. ...his father, Syd'Quan Sr., played 13 games with [the] Denver Broncos.
[edit]
  • Syd'Quan Thompson biography by Denver Broncos
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Syd'Quan Thompson at Wikimedia Commons
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