NFL players are D Level athletes.

[LouisBolanos]

That's the definition of a D-level athlete. A-level athleticism: 20,000 lbs, 15+ feet out of water.

 

[dissolved]

I actually think on the average Baseball players are the worst. They might play a ton of games but for the most part don't do much, aside from the pitcher. Is it hard to hit a fastball for a home run? Sure. But a Right fielder stands out there for how many minutes of the game and does nothing.

NBA players run and run, sure thing but for the most part its endurance and hand eye.

NHL players skate, hit, fight, have great hand eye and play often.

NFL players, have such a wide array of skills I think its tough. A wide receiver is strong and fast, with great hand eye. A running back is strong and has great stamina. A linebacker is quick and strong. Sure you have the offensive lineman or defensive lineman who are strong but don't have to run like crazy.

Take it on the average and I would rank it like this when it comes to overall athletic ability on average:
NHL
NFL
NBA
Golf
Cricket
MLB

I don't think MMA really fits because to fight in the UFC you have to be a freakish athlete.

I agree

 

[dissolved]

I'd love to see a 4 major sport challenge. Like some extreme obstacle course or something. Would be really interesting to see which hand-picked athletes from the big four win.

 

[Source]

The NFL athletes are amazing but yeah they have way less chance of ever making the NBA than vice versa.

NBA athletes are mindblowing even when compared to other major sports: the freakish size, the agility, the skill, the finesse, the explosion. NFL players are amazing too but are roided to the gills and lack anywhere near the skill (for most positions) of a pro basketball player.

Collegiate wrestlers and basketball players have literally walked into the NFL with virtually no experience. It's hard to imagine anyone doing that with the other major sports, because they have a much higher skill level.

I'm curious as to this extensive list of college wrestlers and basketball players that have walked into the NFL with no experience and made a team. Being a camp body doesn't count.

The best athletes on the planet play in the NFL and the NBA.

 

[SHAZAM]

Baseball & NFL have the worst athletes. Soccer and MMA have the best. Possible Rugby.

 

[Sgt Smith]

That's the definition of a D-level athlete. A-level athleticism: 20,000 lbs, 15+ feet out of water.

Humans are truly on a lesser level than animals when it comes to athletic ability. That's a thing of beauty. I guess the tradeoff is our brain, but we seem to do little with that anymore. Sherdog knows of that which I speak.

 

[Obsidian]

Collegiate wrestlers and basketball players have walked into the NFL with no experience (that doesn't happen in other major sports). And plenty of non-NFL level athletes have done better than Mitrione in MMA with the same or less amount of experience (like JDS).

There have been a few basketball players but the vast majority of those also played college football. I cant think of a single wrestler ever who "walked into the NFL" with no college experience.

 

[KILL KILL]

 

[iGnP]

Baseball & NFL have the worst athletes. Soccer and MMA have the best. Possible Rugby.

lol no. NFL reject Brock Lesnar won UFC gold

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Clueless. I mean it's fine if you don't understand the sport, but don't diminish the athletes because of it. NFL linemen are amazing athletes.

This. We're talking about 300lb men who can run a forty yard dash faster than most of Sherdog. That's some scary shit.

 

[Sherm]

The NFL athletes are amazing but yeah they have way less chance of ever making the NBA than vice versa.

NBA athletes are mindblowing even when compared to other major sports: the freakish size, the agility, the skill, the finesse, the explosion. NFL players are amazing too but are roided to the gills and lack anywhere near the skill (for most positions) of a pro basketball player.

Collegiate wrestlers and basketball players have literally walked into the NFL with virtually no experience. It's hard to imagine anyone doing that with the other major sports, because they have a much higher skill level.

It's true that NFL players at many positions are much less skilled than other pro athletes. But that's because there is such a huge premium placed on sheer athleticism and size in football.

Also, there's almost 2000 guys in the NFL at any given time, so obviously its easier to get into than the NBA. But if you just looked at say, the top 10 guys on each team, I think it would be a better group of athletes than what you see in the other sports. The other sports just put so much weight into obscure, highly specific skills that may not necessarily translate to being good at other things.

 

[iGnP]

This. We're talking about 300lb men who can run a forty yard dash faster than most of Sherdog. That's some scary shit.

double this

 

[Sherm]

There have been a few basketball players but the vast majority of those also played college football. I cant think of a single wrestler ever who "walked into the NFL" with no college experience.

Stephen Neal of the Patriots didn't play any college football, just wrestled.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Neal

 

[KILL KILL]

yes, the swim over to the wall was embarrassing

 

[Masterful]

lol no. NFL reject Brock Lesnar won UFC gold

Do you know that Lesnar was only rejected because of his lack of knowledge of the game and not his lack of athleticism? The team wanted him to brush up on his understanding of the game in the NFL Europe league (which existed at the time) and he denied. Lesnar at his size had a faster 40-yrad-dash time than Emmit Smith, Vince Young and Jerry Rice. His wrestling background translated in to MMA better than football. There is footage on Youtube of Lesnar chasing down a RB from behind and causing a fumble for the Vikings in a preseason game. The point that you are trying to make using Lesnar as an example does not exist.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Collegiate wrestlers and basketball players have walked into the NFL with no experience (that doesn't happen in other major sports). And plenty of non-NFL level athletes have done better than Mitrione in MMA with the same or less amount of experience (like JDS).

Um, not really. It is very rare for an athlete who never played football in college to make the NFL. You've got guys like Ziggy Ansah, but they are few and far between.

No doubt a kicker would not need a ton of football experience, but a wrestler as a walk on for any other position? GTFO.

 

[Devout Pessimist]

NHL players are greater than all other athletes in other sports.

 

[Fbed]

NHL players are greater than all other athletes in other sports.

or nah

 

[Masterful]

People act like there is no talent in MMA because of the NFL. Most countries in the world could care less about the NFL. MMA fighters are not just American.

 

[Masterful]

Olympic gymnasts are ridiculously top-notch in terms of athleticism. That does not necessary mean that they could be great fighters. Mike Tyson could never do what an average gymnast can do. Fighting is something different.