In the spirit of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, we're projecting which NFL players would be best suited to participate in 10 popular sports.
A whole bunch of NFL players were track and field stars in high school. Some even competed in track while on football scholarships in college. Three guys in particular stand out for their potential ability to compete at an Olympic level. Here they are:
Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington Redskins
The NFL draft produces a handful of athletic quarterbacks on a yearly basis, but I can't remember ever seeing one with the athletic credentials of RG3. In high school, he set Texas records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles. He only competed full-time in track during his freshman season at Baylor, but wound up earning All-American status. He also qualified and competed in the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials, running the 400-meter hurdles.
Jacoby Ford, WR, Oakland Raiders
Ford is an easy choice for the sprint events. He was an All-American sprinter on Clemson's track team, winning the NCAA national championship in the 60-meter dash. More than any other NFL organization, the Raiders have always coveted speed, but Ford has proven himself as more than just a track star. He's one of the most explosive returners in the league and a promising offensive playmaker.
Vince Wilfork, DT, New England Patriots
No, I'm not going to nominate Wilfork for any running events, even if he did make two athletic interception returns last year. However, he is a great candidate to compete in the shot put. He won the Florida state championship in that event and in the discus during his high school days. When he wasn't starring for the Miami Hurricanes on the gridiron, he was contributing in the throwing ring, setting the school record in the shot put, despite spending very little time training or practicing.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
