Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff: 14 Days with Deonte Thompson

The Chicago Bears, unfortunately, lost their final pre-season outing yesterday against the Buffalo Bills, but today is a new day and an important one at that. Today, the team is exactly two weeks away from hosting the Green Bay Packers during Week 1 of the NFL season. To celebrate the season's rapid approach, today's installment of Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff brings us to the life and career of the best player in franchise history to don the number 14, wide receiver Deonte Thompson.

Deonte Thompson has dominant speed that led him to the Chicago Bears

A native of Belle Glade, Florida, Deonte Thompson attended Glade Central High School, where the speedster became a dominant member of his football and track teams. On the gridiron, Thompson was an explosive receiver who excelled with the ball in his hand. As a senior, he helped his team win his class's State Championship en route to being named a U.S. Army All-American.

In track, Thompson was similarly dominant and was a state champion in the 200-meter dash to the tune of an impressive 21.29-second finish. After finishing at the top of the state in both football and track, Thompson was named South Florida's High School Athlete of the Year as a senior and quickly turned his attention to the recruiting circuit.