With the Super Bowl tonight I started thinking. Which Washington Nationals players could be NFL players? There are a lot of really good athletes on this team, so I had plenty of options. However, I opted for four players. Three of them are currently with the organization, while one is no longer with the Nats.
The four players are Elijah Green, Trea Turner, CJ Abrams and Joey Wiemer. They are all absolutely freakish athletes who would fit on an NFL field. They all have a position on the field that suits them. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Elijah Green has struggled due to hit tool issues in pro ball, but the former top 5 pick might be the most bizarre athlete of the four. He is 6’3 and 225 pounds and has an elite blend of power and speed. Football is also in his blood, with his father Eric being a pro bowl Tight End at the time.
When you watch him run, you might imagine him as a big safety or a sideline-to-sideline backer. Green is just an erratic mover for his size. There is actually a player in the Super Bowl with a similar combination of size and speed. That’s Seahawks rookie safety Nick Emmanwori.
Green and Emmanwori have very similar metrics. They are both 6-foot-1, but Emmanwori is 5 pounds lighter at 220 pounds. Emmanwori was a key part of the Seahawks’ defense as a rookie. He has been a very versatile defensive back who specializes in playing the slot. Green has the same kind of movement skills. Given his struggles in pro ball, this could honestly be something to think about.
The only former Nat I included on the list is Trea Turner. Without him, you simply couldn’t make a list of potential NFL players with Nationals connections. Even at 32 years old, Turner is still one of the fastest players in the league. He is also incredibly smooth and fluid as an athlete.
All of these things would make him a great wide receiver. However, at 6’0 and 185 pounds, he should probably bulk up a bit. However, if he were to gain another 10 pounds, his metrics would be similar to those of Seahawks star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. JSN is listed at 6’0 197 pounds. Turner is 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, so not far off.
I actually think Turner is a bit faster than JSN. However, it is the route that Smith-Njigba runs that makes him special. Obviously, Turner wouldn’t be a route runner, but his speed and overall movement skills would make him a good receiver.
To stop elite receivers like JSN, you need lockdown cornerbacks. This is where I think CJ Abrams could thrive. Many of the best turns are on the lean side, just like Abrams. They rely on their speed and ability to turn and run. Abrams certainly has the ability to run, as we see on the basepaths.
At 6-foot-4 and 191 pounds, he also just looks like a cornerback. He has a similar size to former Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who is 6’0 and 185 pounds. Both also have dynamic movement skills and speed.
You can just imagine Abrams walking receivers and matching them step by step. Although not on the roster, Jacob Young also has the natural athletic ability to be one of the rare white cornerbacks. Cooper DeJean showed us it was possible. Perhaps in another life, Young could have followed that career path.
Finally, the last player I’m going to talk about is not that well known and is new to the Nationals. The Nats claimed Joey Wiemer off waivers earlier this winter. They did this because of his defense, athleticism and strength. He doesn’t have great hitting power, but he’s a great athlete. Wiemer can make highlight reels in the outfield.
At 6’4 and 226 pounds, Wiemer is an impressive physical specimen. With that size, he could play linebacker in the NFL. Fred Warner, the best linebacker in football, is a similar size, weighing 6’3 and 230 pounds. Wiemer’s size and speed would make him a formidable mainstay in the league. He probably has the frame to add about 10 pounds if he actually wanted to play football.
There are a lot of really high level athletes that have played in the Nats organization. Many of them wouldn’t look out of place on an NFL field if they decided to do that instead of baseball. Maybe in another life we could have seen CJ Abrams try to guard Trea Turner.
I’m very excited to watch the Super Bowl and see these great athletes. Who do you think will win tonight? Also, do you think I left out Nationals players who could have been NFL stars if they played football? Let me know in the comments.
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