A baseball-themed look at the NFL Draft
By Tim Haberin
Tomorrow evening, much of the sports world will turn its attention to Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre for the first round of the NFL Draft. As football’s next generation of stars begin their professional journey, baseball fans might take a moment to recognize how the two leagues have intertwined over the years. The collegiate level sees its fair share of legitimate multi-sport athletes, and many of the most identifiable figures from the baseball and football worlds, including several Hall of Famers, have a history in both games.
This year’s draft may very well boast a baseball connection right from the start. Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston may be tomorrow’s presumptive number-one draft choice, but he flashed his skills for the Seminoles on the baseball diamond as well. He was actually drafted by the Texas Rangers out of high school but elected not to sign. Winston played as both an outfielder and relief pitcher, though his performance was markedly better on the mound. In 2014 he notched seven saves, posting a 1.08 ERA over 33.1 innings. He allowed just 18 hits and struck out 31 over that span. If Winston does go first tomorrow it’s safe to say that will mean the end of his baseball exploits, but he did leave the door open as recently as February.
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There is indeed an extensive precedent for top high school and college quarterbacks attracting Major League Baseball teams. Winston wasn’t the only football star the Rangers attempted to get their hands on, for instance. In 2013, they picked Seahawks QB Russell Wilson in the Rule-5 draft. Prior to that, the Super Bowl winner had been selected by the Rockies in 2010 and even played some games with their Single-A affiliate. Another championship quarterback you may have heard of was chosen by the Montreal Expos as a catcher in 1995: Tom Brady.
Brandon Weeden, though decidedly less successful than his aforementioned NFL peers, was part of some interesting baseball history after being picked by the Yankees in the second round of the 2002 draft. Two years later he was included in the package that went to the Dodgers in exchange for Kevin Brown. Weeden eventually went to Oklahoma State to play football and entered the 2012 NFL Draft as a 28-year-old. He was taken in the first round by the Cleveland Browns but failed to live up to expectations, leading to his release and later signing with the Dallas Cowboys as a backup. It’s probably safe to say that Weeden, the Yankees and Brown (as well as the Yankees clubhouse wall) can all consider this one a wash.
Most would agree the Bronx Bombers struck on a far better two-sport star in 1981 when they drafted an outfielder by the name of John Elway. The future Hall of Fame QB was actually selected six picks ahead of Tony Gwynn. The Yankees had very high hopes for Elway and envisioned him becoming their starting right fielder. Elway played baseball and football at Stanford and was chosen first overall in the NFL’s 1983 draft by the Baltimore Colts. Not wishing to join the then-lackluster Colts, Elway threatened to play for the Yankees if he was not traded to another NFL club. The move worked (paving the way for Eli Manning 21 years later) as Baltimore dealt Elway to the Denver Broncos. The rest, including two Super Bowl victories, is history.
Football buffs will know that the 1983 draft was a noteworthy one for quarterbacks, with six taken in the first round. While Elway topped the list, the last of them went to the Miami Dolphins in the form of Dan Marino. Four years earlier he had caught the eye of the Kansas City Royals, who picked him in the fourth round of that year’s draft. Marino chose to play football at the University of Pittsburgh instead and would go on to have a record-breaking career in Miami.
It’s not particularly difficult to decipher the main principle at work here: great all-around athletes tend to excel at multiple sports. Bo Jackson, widely acknowledged as one of the best multi-sport athletes ever, enjoyed legitimate success on both the baseball and football fields. After capturing the Heisman Trophy in 1985 as a running back at Auburn, Jackson was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the following year’s draft. He deferred, however, to playing baseball for the Royals, who chose him in the fourth round of their draft the same year. Jackson would play eight seasons of Major League Baseball and four in the NFL. Though apt to strike out regularly, he averaged 27 home runs and 76 RBI from 1987-1990 and earned the All-Star Game MVP award in 1989. He is one of two players along with Willie Mays to both homer and steal a base in a Midsummer Classic.
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Deion Sanders was drafted by the Yankees out of Florida State in 1988. A year later the Atlanta Falcons selected him as the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft. He signed with the Atlanta Braves in 1991, and playing for teams in the same city aided him in juggling the two sports. Sanders has the distinction of being the only player to participate in both a World Series and Super Bowl. Perhaps even more impressively, he homered and scored a touchdown during the same week in September 1989. “Neon” Deion’s trademark quickness served him well as both a cornerback and outfielder. In 1992 he was named to the NFC Pro Bowl team while also leading the major leagues in triples.
You actually don’t even need to play a sport to get drafted in it. Despite not playing football in college, Dave Winfield was picked by his hometown Minnesota Vikings in 1973. Winfield was coveted by pro teams in multiple sports for his 6’6″ frame and considerable strength. The Rockies were so taken with Michael Vick’s athleticism that they chose him in the 30th round of the 2000 draft, even though he had not played baseball since middle school. Hey, it doesn’t hurt to try, right?
Plenty of other familiar faces in today’s NFL have a history with the great American pastime, including Colin Kaepernick (Cubs), Eric Decker (Brewers/Twins), Matt Cassel (A’s) and Golden Tate (D’backs/Giants). With the staggering amounts of money now being invested in players, dual-sport athletes likely won’t be given the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Jackson and Sanders. Nevertheless, it’s always fun this time of year to look at these two sports’ fascinating shared history.