This is No. 5 in a month-long series of profiles of Arizona high school seniors that signed with four-year colleges. Here's the full list (currently totaling 331) of players from within the state moving on to the next level.

SPOTLIGHT: 2/19/24

Samuel Delgado had offers from a few Division II schools in the Midwest and East Coast. The Catalina Foothills running back went on trips and visited a couple of the colleges to not only look at the educational aspects of the school, but also the camaraderie around the football programs. After he graduates in May, Delgado will be heading to Michigan Tech.

The 5-10, 190-pounder has leadership skills both on and off the field. He also has an encouraging personality and helps build up his teammates. He wasn't sure about making the trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but is glad he checked the college out.

"I was pretty skeptical heading out to the visit at Michigan Tech because of weather and distance from home," Delgado said in an e-mail interview. "But after the visit, I knew it was the place I belonged. They showed a togetherness that I didn't feel anywhere else and a passion that I want to be a part of."

Delgado committed to Michigan Tech on Jan. 29 and signed a little over a week later.

Delgado started playing football when he was just seven. Growing up, he also played soccer and basketball. When starting high school, he originally wasn't going to continue with football.

"I only planned on playing basketball for school," Delgado said. "During one of my summer workouts at around 6 am on the track at school, I met the (now former) head football coach Darius Kelly, who had also been working out. We talked a little and he convinced me to try out for football after seeing me workout and following some of my workouts on Instagram."

Fortunately, Delgado listened and made the varsity team. He was new to the running back position, but had a lot of confidence in himself.

During his time at CFHS, he saw plenty of highs and lows. It was a very different high school football experience than most student-athletes have. His freshman year, he played in just one game during the COVID-shortened season (the Falcons only got to take the field twice). There was a turnover in the coaching staff prior to his sophomore year and then Delgado played in just four games due to an injury. In his junior year, he finally had a chance to show what he could do and ran with it.

In 2022, Delgado rushed for 1,149 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry and was named the 4A Gila Region Offensive Player of the Year. Delgado saw some action on special teams as well and returned a kickoff 93 yards.

His senior year, he was poised to top those numbers. In the Falcons' opener, he had 90 yards and scored a TD in a road win at Combs. Then he posted back-to-back 200-yard efforts against Yuma Catholic (a 4A finalist) and Buena (a 5A playoff team). Delgado had 533 rushing yards and scored seven TDs before mid-September. But then, adversity hit.

"Unfortunately, during my third game of the season, I got caught up awkwardly in a pile of defenders all twisting my legs in different directions and tore my meniscus," Delgado said. "Usually, this injury is able to be fixed and corrected so I wouldn't have to miss too much time. But due to military medical rules, I was unable to get my MRI until three weeks after the injury and surgery followed the next week, which gave me too short of a recovery time to try and be back."

Delgado is progressing well in his recovery process and has been able to get back to where he was before the injury. He's grateful it is happening right before track season.

"Fortunately, I was coached by a great group of men, surrounded by awesome teammates, and supported by the greatest fans and classmates," Delgado said. "All in all, I can't complain. The memories and emotions I believe are only building me to be back stronger. I have no doubt these four years have prepared me to deal with any type of adversity."

With college starting up soon, he is focusing on the two sports that will help him in the future - football and track. Last year, his top time in the 100 meters was an 11.57 at the Nighthawk Early Bird Invitational in March.

In the Yuma Catholic game, several players were outfitted with Catapult vests that measure various statistics including top speed reached. Among players wearing them that night, Delgado posted the maximum speed at 20.81 mph. The work he did in becoming faster and stronger over the summer was shown.

"Thankfully, I have always been naturally fast," Delgado said. "But the offseason leading up to my senior year, there was a big emphasis on becoming more physically dominant than everyone else, something I believe I lacked my junior year. With help from our great strength coach in Coach Sterns, I successfully was able to put muscle and speed on during the summer."

"I believe my story is just getting started," Delgado said. "I haven't scratched the surface of how good I can be and I still critique my film weekly to question and remember what I saw and how I could've made a better decision. Everything happens for a reason, and Michigan Tech is the place I truly believe I belong. But I can guarantee you, this is just the beginning."

Michigan Tech plays in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Div. II). The Huskes started last year at 3-0, but finished even up at 5-5. Michigan Tech will begin its 102nd season on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Bemidji State (Minn.). The '24 slate will feature 11 games with six of them at home in Kearly Stadium, which is on campus and surrounded by trees.

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