St. Bonaventure running back Delon Thompson gets preferred walk-on offer from UCLA

Loren Ledin, Ventura County Star
·2 min read
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All season long, Delon Thompson piled up rushing yards, touchdowns and prime performances in leading the St. Bonaventure High football team to the Marmonte League championship and into the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.

What he never got was a single offer from a college football program to play at the next level. Not one.

The senior running back has his opportunity now.

Following last week's visit by UCLA running backs coach DeShaun Foster to St. Bonaventure High's campus and a meeting with head coach Joe Goyeneche, the Bruins have offered Thompson a spot for the 2023 season as a preferred walk-on.

It's not the scholarship offer he was seeking, but it's an opportunity to earn a roster spot on a big-time collegiate program.

Delon Thompson rushed for 2,388 yards and 25 touchdowns in his senior season at St. Bonaventure High.
Delon Thompson rushed for 2,388 yards and 25 touchdowns in his senior season at St. Bonaventure High.

Thompson revealed the news in a tweet this week.

"After a great conversation with (Foster), I am thankful and honored for the pwo from UCLA football. Go Bruins!" he wrote.

Thompson told The Star that he hasn't closed the door on other possibilities, but will likely take up UCLA on its offer.

"Most likely I will accept it, but I'm still open," he said.

Thompson earned Player of the year honors from The Star, Ventura County coaches and the Marmonte League after his powerhouse senior campaign. He rushed for 2,388 yards and 25 touchdowns in surpassing 100-yard totals in all 11 St. Bonaventure games.

He averaged 9.1 yards per carry and 217.1 yards per game while putting up 261 carries. He finished first in the Southern Section and No. 3 in the state in rushing totals.

For good measure, he caught 19 passes for 211 yards and five TDs.

Thompson is only the fourth Seraphs running back to exceed 2,000 yards in a season, joining Lorenzo Booker (1999, 2000, 2001), Matt Lee (2003) and Darrell Scott (2007).

Stellar games include 234 yards and three touchdowns in the 40-28 win over Oaks Christian that clinched the Marmonte League championship and 369 rushing yards and six touchdowns in a 46-41 win over Pacifica.

If he takes the UCLA offer, he will become the second Ventura County running back in recent years to make an impact with the Bruins. Zach Charbonnet, a Camarillo resident who played at Oaks Christian, emerged the past two seasons as one of the top running backs in the nation.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: St. Bonaventure's Delon Thompson gets preferred walk-on offer from UCLA