NFL Players Who Could Be Crossover Athletes

One of the great things about watching the NFL is seeing human beings bend the rules of physics and physiology with impossible displays of athleticism.

We know the NFL is loaded with athletes, but how many of them could make the leap to another sport?

From a size/speed/strength perspective, no sport can compare to football, a point driven home by the yearly draft combine, which sometimes serves as a celebration of physical achievement. But it takes more than running fast and jumping high to be successful in other arenas.

Which NFL players have the mental and physical skills to make it in the NBA or the Premier League or anywhere else?

Yes, it stretches reality in the era of athlete specialization, but that's the fun of it. Here are 10 players on NFL rosters who have what it takes to develop into two-sport athletes. 

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks

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Crossover Sport: Baseball

Russell Wilson is perhaps the NFL's poster child for the modern-day crossover athlete.

A former fourth-round pick of the Colorado Rockies, Wilson's baseball rights are now held by the Texas Rangers, a team he frequently visits during the offseason. 

While Rangers general manager Jon Daniels has told reporters he won't try to lure away the quarterback from football, Wilson admitted to HBO's Real Sports, per ProFootballTalk.com's Mike Florio, that he hasn't quite given up the two-sport dream.

Wilson batted .229 with 19 stolen bases in 93 appearances in the minors as a second baseman. The numbers don't jump out, but the fact he managed to have any kind of success at all is impressive considering his focus was on the football field. 

Byron Jones, CB, Dallas Cowboys

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Crossover Sport: Track and Field

It took a 12-foot, 3-inch broad jump for Byron Jones to go from solid prospect to NFL Scouting Combine sensation in February.

That mark, according to NFL.com's Bryan Fischer, is not only a combine record but a world record. Jones would go on to post the second-highest vertical jump at this year's combine with a leap of 44.5", as well as the best 60-yard shuttle at 10.98 seconds.

The broad jump might not be a track and field event anymore, but with that kind of explosion a career in some of the other Olympics events wouldn't be out of the question with the proper training.

Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons

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Crossover Sport: Wrestling (Amateur)

Given the nature of their respective positions, it can sometimes be easy to assume all football players who have a wrestling background end up in the trenches, which means the likes of Roddy White are easily missed.

Via his official biography on the University of Alabama-Birmingham football website, White was a two-time state champion in high school in South Carolina. 

Despite moving on to a successful football career, White has kept in touch with his former love, maintaining a relationship with USA Wrestling. 

One need only look at White's route-running to know he has the dedication to craft to succeed in the rigorous world of amateur wrestling. 

Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts

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Crossover Sport: Soccer

As Andrew Luck told GQ, he's always been a fan of the other football. That'll happen when you spend your early years in England and Germany.

Does the possibility exist that Luck could've had a career on the pitch if his family stayed in Europe? Yes.

Standing 6'4", Luck would've had the raw tools to develop into a quality goalkeeper. His time of 6.80 seconds in the three-cone drill at the NFL combine demonstrates remarkable agility, especially for someone weighing in at 234 pounds.

More importantly, Luck has the natural athletic aptitude to read the game and organize his defense and the leadership to effectively command the 18-yard box. 

Terrelle Pryor, WR, Cleveland Browns

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Crossover Sport: Basketball

What separates Terrelle Pryor from the likes of Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates is that those two players turned to football after their respective basketball careers came to an end. Pryor, on the other hand, never found out how good he could be on the hardwood. 

A decorated two-sport star in Pennsylvania, Pryor was among ESPN.com's top-50 recruits. Here's what the scouting service had to say:

"

GREAT ATHLETE! He could probably play hoops at Ohio State but he won't. He's big, quick, tough, smart and does everything well. Terrelle is a great rebounder because of his vertical ability. Right now his shooting is only fair. He needs to improve his ballhandling. His defense is good but his best attribute is taking the ball to the rim. He's a great competitor and a winner in every aspect.

"

It's no surprise his skills weren't as developed as other prospects, considering basketball was only his second love. Given Pryor's size and athleticism, a career as a three-and-D wing wouldn't have been out of the question had basketball been his priority. 

Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys

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Crossover Sport: Golf

Tony Romo's talent on the golf course is well-known, having made multiple attempts to qualify for the U.S. Open. While he never did survive qualifying, Romo still has plenty of ability.

We don't know Romo's official handicap, but GolfDigest.com estimated it at plus-3.3 in 2009. 

How does that stack up against the sport's best players?

Thanks to Golf.com, we know most PGA Tour pros carry handicaps between plus-five and plus-eight. 

On balance, we'll say Romo gives up four shots a round to a Tour pro. That may seem like a lot, but ask yourself this: How many shots could you shave off of your golf game if you quit your day job and spent all your time at the range?

Exactly.

Given his creativity escaping pressure in the pocket, one might think Romo could give even Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson a run for their money when it comes to pulling off miraculous shots. 

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Miami Dolphins

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Crossover Sport: MMA

In addition to football, Ndamukong Suh also played soccer as a child, although it's possible he may have missed his calling in the Octagon.

How, exactly, would one go about fighting him in a mixed martial arts competition? He's impossibly explosive for a man weighing 320 pounds, knows how to keep a low center of gravity and has flashed a mean streak more than once during his time in the NFL.

While training and intangibles play a crucial role in MMA success, Suh would at least make the short list of people on this planet who should fit the profile of a dominant fighter. 

Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Crossover Sport: Baseball

There is a rich tradition of football players dabbling in baseball and vice versa, and Winston is the second such crossover athlete on this list.

Jameis Winston's time on the diamond at Florida State wasn't an exercise in vanity. He had legitimate tools as an outfielder and pitcher.

BaseballAmerica.com's J.J. Cooper asked a National League scout to project Winston's professional prospects: "For me, if he pitches enough, someone could say first round easily. Someone can dream and say that’s a starting pitcher. Someone would dream on him as a starter. He’d go somewhere around 15 to 20 in the first round as a starting pitcher."

Winston very much had the opportunity to make a career out of baseball. Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans, however, will be happy he didn't choose that route. 

At least yet, anyway.

J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans

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Crossover Sport: Professional Wrestling

There is a specific difficulty in determining a second occupation for Watt, and it stems from this realization: There is simply no other sport that can accommodate Watt's unique gifts.

Watt played hockey as a child but quickly outgrew the sport in the literal sense. He still has some skill in that arena, as this video posted to NFL.com demonstrates, but the arena is too restrictive. 

Watt's raw athleticism is not uncommon when compared to colleagues Mario Williams and Julius Peppers. Where he stands out, however, is in standing out, whether it be through obscene sack totals, scoring touchdowns or jumping on top of a 61-inch box while flatfooted. 

You don't want Watt to fit into another sport; you want another sport to fit around Watt. Professional wrestling is the only brand of "sport" that would permit Watt to be the spectacle rather than a mere component of the spectacle. 

With a name like Watt, the promos would practically write themselves. 

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants

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Crossover Sport: Soccer

As this TMZ video indicates, Beckham is good at just about everything. It would be difficult to resist an opportunity to drop him off at the Olympic Village in 2016 and have him use a wheel of fortune each morning to determine which event he would compete in each day, just to see what would happen.

According to Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger, Beckham received interest from U.S. Soccer as a teen. Beckham, as we know, spurned soccer to dedicate himself to football.

With his fantastic agility and body control, it's hard to watch Beckham play football and not think he could've been a nuisance on the pitch as well. His fiery demeanor and penchant for the dramatic play are becoming of a typical flair player, perhaps a tricky winger or a creative No. 10. 

Of course the challenge would be Beckham's ability to resist the urge to pluck the ball out of the air one-handed.