College football players drafted by baseball

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College football players drafted by baseball

On the eve of the amateur baseball draft we review list some notable college football stars - John Elway, Dan Marino, to name a few - who have been selected to play baseball.

Quarterback Dennis Dixon was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the 2007 draft and played 2 rookie league games before returning to Oregon for his senior season. Dixon was drafted in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Michigan quarterback Tom Brady was drafted as a catcher in the 18th round of the 1995 draft by the Montreal Expos. Brady opted to attend Michigan instead and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots - where he has won three Super Bowls.

Russell Wilson was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 41st round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He enrolled at North Carolina State where he played football and baseball. He transferred to Wisconsin for his senior year where he played quarterback. Wilson was selected by the Seahawks with the 12th pick in the third round (75th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft

Cornerback Deion Sanders was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6th round of the 1985 draft, but did not sign. He was drafted three years later in the 30th round by the New York Yankees. In that same year he was the 5th overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Sanders would later sign and play for the Atlanta Braves. He played both football and baseball professionally for more than a decade. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. He remains the only player to have played in a World Series and a Super Bowl.

Michael Vick was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 30th round 2000 MLB Draft. The Virginia Tech quarterback was the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. He is now the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brandon Weeden was drafted in the second round of the 2002 baseball draft by the New York Yankees. He pitched for three organizations in the minors before enrolling at Oklahoma State where he played quarterback for three seasons. He was drafted as the 22nd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.

The New York Yankees selected Bo Jackson in the 2nd round of the 1982 baseball draft, but he opted to play football at Auburn. Jackson was the first overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he opted for baseball and signed with the Kansas City Royals where he became an All-Star outfielder. The Los Angeles Raiders drafted Jackson in 1987 where he played for four seasons. He remains one of the few stars to play two sports professionally in the same season.

Antwaan Randle El was drafted in the 1997 baseball draft, selected in the 14th round (424th overall) by the Chicago Cubs. He opted to play at Indiana where he started at quarterback. Randle El was drafted in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers where he played for four seasons.

Oregon quarterback Akili Smith was drafted in the seventh round of the amateur baseball draft in 1993 by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played for two years in the minors before attending Oregon. Smith was selected in the first round (3rd overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. Smith also played for the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

PItt quarterback Dan Marino was drafted in the 4th round of the 1979 amateur baseball draft by the Kansas City Royals but opted to play college football instead. Marino went on to play 17 seasons for the Miami Dolphins and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Staford quarterback John Elway was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 18th round of the 1979 baseball draft and 52nd overall in the 1981 draft by the New York Yankees. Elway was the top pick in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts before being traded to the Denver Broncos. The Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback retired in 1998 after winning two Super Bowls.

Michigan quarterback Drew Henson was drafted by the New York Yankees in the third round of the 1998 amateur draft. He played in the minors and majors through the 2003 season before turning back to football, playing for the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.

Quarterback Daunte Culpepper was drafted in the 26th round (730th overall) by the New York Yankees in the 1995 amateur baseball draft, but chose instead to attend the University of Central Florida. Culpepper was taken 11th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He played 11 seasons in the NFL.

Chris Weinke had signed on to play football at Florida State when he was drafted in the second Round of the 1990 amateur baseball draft. He played six seasons in the Toronto Blue Jays organization before returning to the Seminoles in 1997. Wienke won a Heisman Trophy and led the Seminoles to a National Championship game. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft and played seven seasons.

Golden Tate was drafted out of high school by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 42nd round of the 2007 amateur draft. He was drafter again in 2010 by the San Francisco Giants. The Notre Dame receiver was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Javon Walker was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 12th round (366th overall) of the 1997 draft, and spent three years in the minors. He played wide receiver for the Seminoles and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 20th overall of the 2002 NFL Draft.

Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop - who was drafted in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots - was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 28th round of the 1995 amateur baseball draft.

Wisconsin quarterback Brooks Bollinger was selected twice in the 50th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers (2000 and 2001). Bollinger was 6th round draft pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played six seasons before retiring in 2011. He is the quarterbacks coach at Pitt.

Corey Jenkins was drafted as the 1st round (24th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 1995. Jenkins played two seasons in the minors before being traded to the Chicago White Sox where he played until 1999. He was recruited to play quarterback by Lou Holtz at South Carolina where he started at quarterback. He was drafted in 2003 by the Miami Dolphins where he played linebacker.

Texas running back Cedric Benson was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round (370th overall) of the 2001 baseball draft. He was a four-year starter at Austin and was the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He has played for the Bears, Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers.

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Quarterback Dennis Dixon was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the 2007 draft and played 2 rookie league games before returning to Oregon for his senior season. Dixon was drafted in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

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