Power Ranking the Best Football Players on the Kentucky Basketball Team

by:Nick Roush•06/14/17•

@RoushKSR

Tampa Bay Times

This morning the Kentucky basketball team took over the Nutter Indoor Training Facility to work out on the football team’s turf. The first thing that came to mind: “I would love to have heard the junk the football players said to the basketball team as they left their field.” The second thing that came to mind: “Could any of these guys play football?”

For the first time in four years, Dominique Hawkins isn’t the basketball team’s “Most Likely to Be Great at Football.” Even if Hawkins was still on the team, he would probably be bested by a couple of guys on Calipari’s 2017-18 team.

1. P.J. Washington: If this basketball thing doesn’t work out, P.J. is built like an NFL tight end. The big dog has a wide frame, long arms and big hands. Give him six months with Vince Marrow and he’ll be looking like Antonio Gates in no time.

2. Kevin Knox: People forget Knox’s father played in the NFL with Vince Marrow. Knox Sr. was a National Champion wide receiver for Florida State in 1994. His son was a pretty damn quarterback until he grew too much, from SB Nation:

Knox enrolled at Tampa Catholic as a high school freshman mostly known as a quarterback. At 6’4, he had NFL size for the position at 13 years old. He started on varsity as a sophomore and was considered an ESPN top 150 recruit as an “athlete.” He says he can throw a football 65 or 70 yards.

3. Sacha Killeya-Jones: Just like Knox, SKJ was a quarterback until a growth spurt helped him decide to stick to basketball.

4. Tai Wynyard: If Mark Stoops keeps losing defensive linemen, he might consider calling Coach Cal’s Kiwi. The lumberjack is built like a brick “you know what” house and his wood-chopping skills could easily be transformed into an excellent swim move.

5. Quade Green: A fast-footed scat back from Philly, Quade would take no crap from nobody on a football field.

6. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: The Canadian had to play just a little bit of hockey as a child. The hockey physicality and mentality combined with his length would make SGA an exceptional safety.

7. Nick Richards: There’s no place for seven-footers in football, but if there was going to be a Willie Cauley-Stein part 2, it’d be the guy who started his athletic career playing soccer, volleyball and track and field.

8. Hamidou Diallo: With that wingspan, if Diallo can tackle players as hard as he dunks on them, he could play safety for me every day of the week.

9. Brad Calipari: There’s no denying Brad would earn respect on the football field.

10. Jemarl Baker: Three-point shooting doesn’t translate well between sports, unless you have a large foot.

11. Jarred Vanderbilt: The small forward is too fragile for the game of football.

12. David/Pulliam: Sorry guys, but the walk-ons get lumped together.

177. Wenyen Gabriel: Simply put, this man should not be playing football.

If you’re curious as to who is the best basketball player on the football team, there are plenty of above average ballers, but I’m taking offensive lineman Nick Haynes all day.