If only they played football: Building an NFL roster with stars from other sports

Could LeBron James have played in the NFL?

That's a question several sports fans asked themselves during the NBA legend's prime. James himself has played with the idea. There's no question that his size, physicality, and athletic ability would make a mouth-watering weapon for football teams. But James isn't the only star athlete whose game could translate to the NFL.

With that in mind, we've built a football squad with players from other sports. Athletes at any level of football weren't considered, and for the sake of variety, no more than three players from the same sport are allowed.

OffenseQuarterback

Shohei Ohtani (MLB)

It wasn't easy to pick a quarterback, with NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards also being strong options. Jokic boasts elite vision and passing skills, while Edwards has an absolute cannon. But Ohtani's two-way ability was the ultimate difference-maker. The 2021 AL MVP has put on a show in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels, dominating the sport both as a hitter and pitcher. He finished in the top four for MVP and Cy Young in the American League in 2022 and has arguably been even more dominant this season.

NFL teams have been looking for dual-threat quarterbacks more than ever, and having someone under center who can do more than just pass is a must.

Running back

Connor McDavid (NHL)

McDavid is fast. The Edmonton Oilers megastar has won Fastest Skater at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition three times in his career and often makes some of the NHL's top defensemen look slow. The 6-foot-1, 193-pound McDavid's elusiveness makes him a perfect fit at running back. No other hockey player has dominated the sport as much as the 2015 No. 1 pick, who has three career Hart Trophies as the NHL's Most Valuable Player.

Wide receivers

Fred Kerley (sprinter)
Russell Westbrook (NBA)

Having a sprinter at wide receiver is ideal. The explosive 6-foot-3, 205-pound Kerley - who won silver in the men's 100 m at the Tokyo Olympics and gold in the 100m at the World Championship last year - deserves a spot. The Texas A&M product's blazing speed is just too good to pass up. Plus, catching footballs isn't new for the Kerley family, as Fred's older cousin, Jeremy, played eight seasons as an NFL wideout.

Lined up opposite Kerley would be Westbrook, a 6-foot-3 target who boasts a 6-foot-8 wingspan. Granted, Westbrook isn't in his prime. But the former NBA MVP is still fast and incredibly athletic. Imagine the star point guard attacking opposing defensive backs in man coverage like he attacks the rim. The combination of strength, power, and ball skills in Westbrook's game makes him a worthy addition.

FLEX

Aaron Judge (MLB)

This is an easy call due to the New York Yankees star's size (6-7, 282 lbs) and background in football. The 2022 AL MVP caught 17 touchdowns while averaging 96.9 yards per game as a senior receiver in high school. He was also recruited to play tight end in college by several big-time schools - including Notre Dame and Stanford - before continuing his baseball career. Judge could essentially line up anywhere while creating mismatches all over the football field.

Tight end

LeBron James (NBA)

Who else?

James would be the perfect tight end and team captain. One of the most gifted athletes of all time, James was even offered a contract by the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks back in 2011. Not only does the 38-year-old boast the perfect size (6-9, 250 lbs) and athleticism, but he showed how dominant he can be as a football player in high school, making Megatron-like plays.

LeBron's high school football coach thinks LBJ would've been one of the NFL greats @KingJames @STVMFootball

(via @MoveTheSticks) pic.twitter.com/viV7Mmjj4I

- The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) October 23, 2019

Offensive line

LT Teddy Riner (judo)
LG Takakeisho Takanobu (sumo)
C Tadhg Furlong (rugby)
RG Lasha Talakhadze (weightlifting)
RT Tyson Fury (boxing)

We had to think outside the box to put together a solid O-line. Good luck moving the ball with this group of blockers.

Riner possesses an absurd combination of athleticism and solid hands that would fit well at left tackle. At 6-foot-8 and 331 pounds, he's one of the greatest judokas of all time and has won a record 11 World Championship gold medals and three Olympic gold medals. The 6-foot-9, 269-pound Fury would also be able to hold his own at tackle thanks to the top heavyweight's aggressiveness, attacking power, and elite footwork.

Furlong may be a bit undersized for a center (6 feet, 276 lbs), but his main strengths are perfect for the position. The Ireland star's elite ball distribution, IQ, and toughness have made him one of rugby's best front row forwards in recent years. Takakeisho - a 5-foot-9, 359-pound sumo wrestling superstar - would bring in elite pushing technique, while Talakhadze has absurd size and strength as our right guard. The legendary 6-foot-6, 403-pound Georgian has won back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

DefenseFront 4

iDL Brock Lesnar (wrestling)
iDL Roman Reigns (wrestling)
EDGE Jon Jones (MMA)
EDGE Francis Ngannou (MMA)

Lesnar and Reigns would add plenty of star power and experience to our defense. Before signing with WWE, Reigns put on a show as a lineman at Georgia Tech, earning a first-team All-ACC nod after collecting 40 tackles and 4.5 sacks as a senior in 2006. The 6-foot-3, 280-pounder then had brief offseason stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars, and he later played one season in the CFL. Lesnar doesn't have college football experience but appeared in multiple preseason games for the Vikings in 2004 before being released and returning to pro wrestling.

Tom Dahlin / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Jones is one of the most intimidating UFC fighters in the world. With his positional control and ability to find openings, it'd be nearly impossible to stop him on the football field. Pro football is a big part of the Jones family, as the UFC heavyweight champion's older brother, Arthur, played seven seasons in the NFL. His younger brother, Chandler, is a four-time Pro Bowler who's currently on the Las Vegas Raiders. Jon Jones has said he wasn't a good football player in high school, but he's shown that innovation and evolvement have been big parts of his legendary MMA career.

How fun would it be to have Jones and Ngannou - who've developed a recent heavyweight rivalry - lined up opposite each other as edge rushers? At 6-foot-4 and 257 pounds, Ngannou, who was the reigning UFC heavyweight champion before leaving the promotion to join the PFL, would be an unstoppable force as a pass-rusher.

Inside linebackers

Islam Makhachev (MMA)
Matthew Tkachuk (NHL)

The 5-foot-10, 154-pound Makhachev may not impress with his size. But as one of MMA's elite takedown artists, the current UFC lightweight champion would be a tackle machine as a linebacker. Meanwhile, Tkachuk was a Hart Trophy finalist for the first time this season. In his first year in Florida, he guided the Panthers to a historic postseason run en route to reaching the Stanley Cup Final as the No. 8 seed. Though the team's Cinderella run didn't end with a victory, the 6-foot-2, 201-pound Tkachuk showed the leadership and toughness any football team wants in the middle of a defense.

Secondary

CB Jimmy Butler (NBA)
CB Cale Makar (NHL)
FS Mike Trout (MLB)
SS Rafael Nadal (tennis)
DB Kylian Mbappe (soccer)

Welcome to Jimmy Island.

Butler is one of the NBA's premier defenders, and he said he could play in the NFL a few years ago. With his size, physicality, and defensive instincts, Butler would be our lockdown corner. Plus, if he's as good as a wide receiver as he once claimed to be, using him on specific packages on offense would also be in play. You can call it the Deion Sanders package.

Fernando Medina / National Basketball Association / Getty

We couldn't have built this defense without arguably the NHL's best defenseman, right? Makar has taken the NHL by storm, winning the Norris Trophy once and being a finalist for the top defenseman award on two other occasions.

Mbappe's speed, pace, and explosiveness are everything a team could ask for from a defensive back. He'd arguably be the team's fastest athlete not named Fred Kerley. Though the French superstar has the speed, we're not sure his hands are good enough for him to play wide receiver, so defensive back is more fitting.

With Trout's star power and IQ as a centerfield, the Angels star is a no-brainer at safety. The 6-foot-2, 253-pounder's tremendous athleticism, strength, and arm talent would make him a great ball-hawk. Nadal also brings a lot of things to the table. Aggressive game? Check. Speedy footwork? Check. Relentless defensive coverage? Check. Granted, the tennis icon has injury concerns, but it'd definitely be worth the risk.

Special teams

K Erling Haaland (soccer)
P Kevin De Bruyne (soccer)

No other soccer player this season scored and finished like Haaland, who's coming off a record-breaking campaign with Manchester City that saw him score 36 Premier League goals. Everything the Norwegian striker touched turned to gold, so we need him on the team. It wasn't an easy call, though, as other soccer stars - including England captain Harry Kane - look pretty good for the job, too.

Matt McNulty - Manchester City / Manchester City FC / Getty

De Bruyne himself could threaten Haaland's spot as the kicker, but it also makes sense to have the Belgium icon as the punter. Few soccer players, if any, are better than De Bruyne in long-range passes. It's hard to imagine our stacked offense leaving the field without putting points on the board, but whenever this team has to punt, De Bruyne's accuracy in long balls would force our opponents to start almost every possession inside their own 20-yard line.

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