The Top 10 NFL Players Who Would Make Knockout WWE Wrestlers

With the NFL lockout still in full force despite the media's best attempts to make fans believe otherwise, players have to start thinking about what they might do if significantly more time is missed. Although a move to the WWE is unlikely due to a lack of experience and possibility of injury, it's always interesting to consider what some of the best football players could accomplish in the ring.

It isn't a totally unheard of career choice. Big name NFL players such as Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White have taken part in professional wrestling matches.

Other names fans might recognize such as Bronko Nagurski, Ernie Ladd and Wahoo McDaniel have also graced the squared circle.

There are a few things you have to consider when determining the ability for an NFL player to transition to the WWE. What type of wrestler would they be? How good are they on the mic? Will they be a heel or a face?

With that in mind, here are the top 10 NFL players who could make the transition to the WWE.

Ed Reed (Baltimore Ravens)

Type: High flyer

Gimmick: Heel

Measurements: 5'11'', 200 pounds

Ed Reed is known for his hard-hitting style that not only frequently injures opponents, but himself as well. When he is on the field, he is a dynamic playmaker who can turn a routine interception into a pick-six in the blink of an eye.

Like all high flyers, however, Reed has been known to make some ill-advised moves, such as lateraling the ball after an interception, that have been costly.

Troy Polamalu (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Type: High flyer

Gimmick: Face

Measurements: 5'10'', 207 pounds

Troy Polamalu is one of the biggest risk takers in the NFL. He admitted after the Super Bowl that injuries had limited his ability to take chances and was the main reason he didn't make a big impact on the game.

He has increased his exposure with the Head & Shoulders commercials and his hair would be a terrific asset in the WWE. Not only to add uniqueness to his character, but for heels to take advantage of as well.

James Harrison (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Type: Brawler

Gimmick: Heel

Measurements: 6'0'', 242 pounds

James Harrison proved he can trash talk with the best of them in an interview with Men's Journal, calling out NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, teammates Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall, among others.

He was fined numerous times last season for illegal hits and continued to do it, a very heel-like act. Harrison seems to have an R-Truth-type outlook on the NFL, as if the whole thing is a conspiracy, so perhaps they could work as a tag team.

Brian Urlacher (Chicago Bears)

Type: Brawler

Gimmick: Face

Measurements: 6'4'', 258 pounds

Brian Urlacher isn't the same dominating linebacker that he was during his prime, but at his height he was one of the most feared defensive players in the league.

If you can hold down the middle linebacker position for the Chicago Bears as long as he has, there is no doubt you can hold your own in a WWE ring.

Urlacher is a polar opposite of James Harrison. He goes about his business quietly and efficiently, but make no mistake, he'll knock out any player with their head down.

Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals)

Type: Technical

Gimmick: Heel

Measurements: 6'1'', 197 pounds

Chad Ochocinco's main goal is to keep Ochocinco relevant. If that means he has to go tryout for a Major League Soccer team, he'll do it. If that means he has to hype up a Professional Bull Riding event, only to last a few seconds, he'll do it.

He has proclaimed that he wants to become the most hated figure in sports and coming to the WWE as a heel would help him reach that goal.

Ochocinco is all bark and no bite though, so his matches would be full of a lot of theatrics and kept to mostly technical moves.

Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts)

Type: Technical

Gimmick: Face

Measurements: 6'5'', 230 pounds

When you think of a tactician on the football field, the first name that comes to mind is Peyton Manning. Many people would be skeptical about Manning's in-ring ability, and rightfully so.

But all WWE fans can name a bunch of guys who reached the pinnacle of the business without being tremendous wrestlers, the most recent being John Cena. Like Chad Ochocinco, Manning is big on theatrics, with his arm-waving, helmet-slapping audible calls.

Manning has a lot of experience behind the camera with his countless endorsements, so there would be no worries about stage fright.

Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens)

Type: Hardcore

Gimmick: Heel

Measurements: 6'1'', 250 pounds

One of the hardest hitters to ever step foot on an NFL field, Ray Lewis is the most obvious, and probably best, choice for a move to the WWE.

Lewis sacrifices his body every single week playing football and, as you can tell by his intensity, it is truly for the love of the game. Nobody would expect anything less if he we to become a wrestler.

It was tough deciding whether to give Lewis the heel or face label, but on the field he plays dirty if he needs to, a heel trait if there ever was one.

Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers)

Type: Hardcore

Gimmick: Face

Measurements: 6'3'', 255 pounds

Clay Matthews has appeared on a WWE show, as a referee on Smackdown earlier in the year, so he already has a relationship with the company.

Matthews has become one of the best pass rushers in the NFL and plays with a reckless abandon. I am unsure how Matthews would be on the mic, but he has a certain charisma that would supersede any problems he has delivering promos–like Kofi Kingston.

Imagine Ray Lewis taking on Clay Matthews in an extreme rules match? That would be worth the price of admission to say the least.

Vince Wilfork (New England Patriots)

Type: Powerhouse

Gimmick: Heel

Measurements: 6'2'', 325 pounds

One of the most intimidating interior lineman in the NFL, Vince Wilfork would be an imposing force in the WWE. Wilfork has had no problem taking cheap shots on opposing quarterbacks over the years, making him the perfect heel.

He has tremendous strength, so he would be able to pick up some of the WWE's biggest superstars, like Big Show and Mark Henry, something that is loved by the WWE universe.

Joe Thomas (Cleveland Browns)

Type: Powerhouse

Gimmick: Face

Measurements: 6'6'', 312 pounds

Perhaps the best left tackle in the NFL, Joe Thomas has the squeaky clean image that most players can only dream about.

That said, he shows off his strength and athleticism every week by slowing down some of the most explosive pass rushers in the league. It is rare that a man of his size is able to move a ring well, as seen with wrestlers such as The Great Khali.

Offensive lineman don't get interviewed much, so he would likely need to develop his mic skills, but otherwise it seems like Thomas would be a great fit in the WWE.