If Usain Bolt Wants to Play Football, He Can Enter the 2009 NFL Draft

There is absolutely no reason to think that Usain Bolt wants to play in the NFL. He's the best sprinter in the world and may become the best sprinter ever, he'll make millions in endorsement income as a three-time gold medalist, and American football isn't particularly popular in Jamaica.

But I've heard from several football fans who think Bolt, who's 6-foot-5 and the fastest man in the world, would be a great NFL player. So could it happen?

If he wants it to happen, it could, but not until 2009. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk quotes NFL spokesman Greg Aiello saying:

"If an individual calls us and wants to know if he is eligible for the draft, we ask him a series of questions before we give him an answer. When did he graduate from high school? Did he attend college? Have Usain give us a call."

The issue of high school and college is a matter of the league's minimum age rule, and since Bolt is 22 years old, he would be eligible. So yes, if Bolt wants to play, he can tell the NFL, and they'll make him eligible for the 2009 draft.

And if he actually did want to play football -- to really commit himself to the sport -- I believe he'd be a first-day draft pick. NFL general managers go ga-ga over guys with size and speed, and there's never been anyone in human history with the size and speed of Bolt.

Of course, it's not actually going to happen. But it's fun to think about seeing Usain Bolt, in a helmet and shoulder pads, going long.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

8-22-2008 @ 3:48PM

nfleasy said...

Man.....can you imagine how many touchdowns that guy could get ! Hed be the fastest in NFL !

http://nfleasy.info

8-22-2008 @ 4:20PM

Tha Prowler said...

like the nfl needs more show offs....bolt = T.O. minus the hands.

8-22-2008 @ 4:24PM

Ken said...

He is simular to Randy Moss but can Bolt catch a ball while being defended? Bob Hayes was the gold medalist and the fastest man in the world and had a very good NFL career.

8-22-2008 @ 4:30PM

hootie_69 said...

Have you ever seen Carl Lewis throw a baseball? Its a pitiful sight and a perfect example of the fact that amazing athleticism doesn't equal greatness in all sports. Tall and fast sure but thats a fraction of the necessary skills to even have a chance of playing in the NFL. How is his lateral movement, hands, could he take a hit? The only people I have heard of picking up the sport (competitively that is) and making it in the NFL are basketball players getting made into tight ends. They already have good footwork and hand eye coordination.

Sorry to be such a downer but the sports are so far apart that I don't see any quick transition being anywhere near realistic even if Bolt wanted to do so.

8-25-2008 @ 3:28PM

Otis said...

After Gates had that monster first year, about a dozen teams brought big, athletic former college power forwards into training camp as UDFAs the next year to try our as TEs. Someone even wasted a draft pick on the PF from George Mason's Final 4 team. None of them are in the leaguel. Those guys were as phiyscally talented as anyone on an NFL roster, but it takes a special type of idiot to willingly subject your body to that kind of beating.

If F=m*a, Bolt might shatter into a thousand peices if Ed Reed caught him over the middle.

8-23-2008 @ 3:40PM

Ronnie said...

The Giants signed Jai Lewis as an undrafted free agent.

8-22-2008 @ 6:20PM

Te' Te' said...

I would have to agree with hootie. I was a high school and collegiate track and field athlete and the attitude was always well, she can run fast let's try her in this sport or that sport. Well I tried soccer and what a mess I was out on that field! My foot eye coordination was horrible that it came down to them telling me to run down the field and pass the ball!! So, yes, speed doesn't mean greatness for every sport. Most of our football players couldn't handle most running events because they were only used to stop and go movements and not the longer endurance events. And don't get me started on the playbook!! That would be a whole other language for him before he even had the chance to hit the field! Stay away from the field and stick to the track :-)

8-22-2008 @ 6:21PM

sclint63 said...

exhibit "A"-Renaldo Nehemiah to the 49ers. fast, but couldn't take a hit. Bolt stick to running and get all the money and babes, and still look pretty at 40.

8-22-2008 @ 7:40PM

Frederick said...

Unfortunately if he were to go to pro sports he would probably go to soccer.

I dont know if he has the acting skills to dive and lay motioneless at any contact like soccer players do

8-22-2008 @ 9:21PM

Rival Of The SilverFox said...

Linebackers run a 40 at a avg of 4.3 or 4.4 I assume. Bolt, supposedly under a 4.0. NFL Linebackers+Bolt= Big hits. Homeboy is going to get hammered.

8-23-2008 @ 12:03AM

Its more like 4.4 to 4.6 for linebackers

8-23-2008 @ 6:01PM

Jim Pepe said...

Most LBs in the NFL run 4.5, 4.6 fyi.

8-22-2008 @ 9:31PM

46and2 said...

please stop perpetuating the story about Bolt playing in the NFL that your boss over at PFT completely made up.

sup conflict of interest

8-22-2008 @ 11:33PM

JABBAR said...

THAT SHOWS RIGHT THERE THAT SOCCER IS HARDER TO PLAY THAN FOOTBALL...AND IS THE WORLDS MOST POPULAR SPORT!!!!!

8-22-2008 @ 11:36PM

Jerry Satterfield said...

SOCCER IS BORING!!!!!!!!!

8-22-2008 @ 11:39PM

Probably another James Jett who couldn't catch a cold buck naked in the middle of the Pacific ocean !!!!!

8-23-2008 @ 6:46AM

calle said...

there we go,trying to turn a greyhound into a horse.wishful thinking..

8-23-2008 @ 1:44PM

BanzaiCrackerJack said...

Soccer, harder then American Football? Guess you've never seen a playbook, let alone been hit by a guy running the 40 at a 4.7 clip, weighing in at 260+. It gives you a whole new outlook on WTF was that.

Sure soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Not in America however!

I do love all the converted rugby/soccer players in the NFL I mean after all, we need some (body) to kick field goals and punt!

8-23-2008 @ 2:16PM

Robert said...

Why would he want to jump? If Bolt hadn't shattered world records as a track man, and if he wasn't a national hero in his small country, he might look to another sport; but as it is, he's the big frog in his pond. The American sprinters who trailed after him might be likelier to jump to the NFL; these are superb athletes and very fast guys, and might actually care about NFL football. Of course, as with Bolt, we don't know if any of them can catch a football, and hold on after the hit....