"With the Number One Pick in the NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select ... Usain Bolt from Jamaica."
Don't expect Commissioner Roger Goodell to stand up and hand history's fastest man a St. Louis hat and numero uno jersey to don en route to signing an autograph worth nine figures. It would mean that the Rams or Lions (gulp, not another Top 5 wide receiver pick) or, er, the Raiders, who seem to love speed went out on a limb for one of the world's most exciting athletes.
This is not your Daddy's NFL.
Back in the day, Bob Hayes was a viable (albeit risky) draft pick. After sprinting away with a couple of gold medals in the Tokyo Olympics, the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the seventh round and following a remarkable NFL career, he earned a place in Canton. (Attention trivia buffs: Mr. Hayes is the only human ever to win Olympic gold & a Super Bowl ring.) Track athletes got a shake on the gridiron back in the day.
Sure some stumbled badly or outright failed: Renaldo Nehemiah and John Capel come to mind. The sidelines are strewn with torn tendons and bruised egos. Sportswriters ground them up like prime beef erroneously transformed into hamburger.
If risks are worth taking, Mr. Bolt would seem safer than some of his predecessors. He's got size and speed. The debate continues regarding his 40-yard dash speed, the NFL standard combine test. 4.35? 3.97?!
However many tenths-of-a-second click off on timers, it will report that Mr. Bolt exceeds the speed of all others in the league.
Plenty of NFL stars have wanted a piece of Mr. Bolt in a foot race. Their ridiculous egos obstructing their vision of reality. While they may be better at taking a hit from Troy Polamalu as he covers half of the known world, there is no chance they have better foot speed. (Attention NFL office: Start here with drug testing, these athletes obviously are on some type of hallucinogenics.)
Trust me, this won't happen. No one will call his name over the coming few days. But let your imagination run wild. Picture Mr. Bolt in your favorite team's colors. It would be fun and engaging. Consider the world interest in the NFL if Mr. Bolt were to suit up on Sundays. Chad Ochocinco would finally have a worthy adversary in end-zone antics. And some lucky team would sell out in number 95 jerseys.
(Photo illustration of Usain Bolt by Vasin Omer Douglas)
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