Syd’Quan Thompson

Classroom

Thompson had a difficult beginning trying to balance football and the academic rigors demanded at Cal. After his first year at Cal, he went on academic probation. However his GPA has steadily improved to a career-best 2.884 during the 2008-09 academic year and he is on schedule to graduate with a degree in social welfare by the time his eligibility is exhausted at the end of the 2009-10 academic year.

Character

Thompson is a high-character individual that grew up as the oldest of four children in a single-mother household in Sacramento. He is good-natured and well-loved and respected by his teammates. Quiet by nature, he has begun to assume a more vocal presence on the team and is certainly a leader by example with his work ethic. He has an outstanding work ethic and is often one of last players to leave the field at the end of practice.

Community

Thompson has devoted his time to community service and public engagements. Within his social welfare major, Thompson has worked with disadvantaged and homeless youth. He has been involved with a program that brings disadvantaged kids to the Berkeley campus. The focus of the program is introducing kids to the idea that they too can attend Cal. They have some programming but the highlight of the visit is when kids get to spend time with student-athletes like Thompson. He spends time playing with the kids and takes them on a trip through campus to the stadium. He tells them that even if they have a tough start in life like he had, that if they study and focus, they can get to a school like Cal. He has also worked at a homless shelter sponsored by the Newman Church on campus, where he hangs out and plays with the kids while their parents eat a meal provided by the church. He is always a big hit with the kids because he is so genuine.

Competition

Thompson is expected to start at cornerback for the fourth consecutive season for the Golden Bears in 2009. He is a versatile and exciting athlete who has established himself as one of the nation’s top cornerbacks and also serves as Cal’s punt returner. Thompson has started all 39 games possible in his first three seasons at Cal and is the Golden Bears’ active career leader in tackles (208), interceptions (6), passes defended (32), pass breakups (26), punt returns (28) and punt return yardage (344), including one that he returned 73 yards for a touchdown vs. Colorado State in 2008. He also has a total of 525 career all-purpose yards, adding one kick return for 15 yards to his punt and interception return totals. In the 2009 preseason, he is already on watch lists for the Lott Trophy as well as the Jim Thorpe and Chuck Bedinarik awards. In addition, he is a first-team preseason All-American by Athlon, Lindy’s and NationalChamps.net, while checking in as a second-team selection of Sporting News and a third-team choice by Phil Steele. He rates as highly as the nation’s No. 2 cornerback (Lindy’s) and No. 4 national punt returner (Phil Steele). He also has earned first-team preseason All-Pac-10 recognition on defense by Athlon, Lindy’s, Phil Steele and Sporting News, and as a punt returner from Athlon and Phil Steele. Other rankings include the nation’s No. 6 defensive back by Rivals.com and No. 8 cornerback by Phil Steele.