Margus Hunt

[GDAWG]

Yesterday, in Hawaii, Margus Hunt finished his college football career at Southern Methodist University. He was named MVP of the Hawaii Bowl. I don't think we'll be seeing Hunt wear the colors of Estonia in Moscow at the World Championships in August as he'll be in an NFL training camp.

He'll be making more money as an NFL player then he would representing Estonia in track and field. He's projected as a mid-late second, early third round pick in the next NFL draft. Things could still change, but right now its safe to say that Hunt will be making six figures in the NFL in the fall.

[Marlow]

Despite being 6'8/275, age 25, he 'only' threw the disc 201'. Football is the way to go.

[jazzcyclist]

Here are the highlights from his man-amongst-boys performance at the Hawaii Bowl yesterday:

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/video?gameId=323592567

If he is the 5th defensive end drafted, as Mel Kiper projects, he could end up making seven figures as a rookie.

[tandfman]

I don't know what happened to him. As a junior, he was absolutely awesome. But with the senior implements, he never approached what everyone thought his potential was. Given his recent form in the discus and on the gridiron, he's surely making the right choice.

[Pego]

Despite being 6'8/275, age 25, he 'only' threw the disc 201'. Football is the way to go.

The ESPN commentator called him "a world class T&F athlete." I did not know his PR at that time, but the red flag immediately ran up the pole. Now I see it was rightfully so.

[tandfman]

In a sense, he was world class. . . . as a junior. He set the World Junior Record in winning the World Junior Championships, and with his wing span, lots of people saw him as being a future great. I don't know why that never happened, but it may not have been because he started playing football.

[jazzcyclist]

Despite being 6'8/275, age 25, he 'only' threw the disc 201'. Football is the way to go.

The ESPN commentator called him "a world class T&F athlete." I did not know his PR at that time, but the red flag immediately ran up the pole. Now I see it was rightfully so.

Remember, these are the same folks who call any 10.4 sprinter world class. If things work out for him, I wonder if it will give any other similarly-sized European throwers ideas about American football. The thing about football is that of all the positions on the field, defensive linemen have the shallowest learning curve for athletes coming from a track and field background.

[tandfman]

They still have to learn to hit and get hit, which is totally alien to track & field and which I suspect many athletes simply have no taste for, particularly in Europe, where they have grown up with little or no exposure to American football.

Of course, if they can make it to the NFL, they'll be paid much better than they are ever likely to be paid as a track & field athlete, so some will certainly be tempted to try it.

[gh]

Despite being 6'8/275, age 25, he 'only' threw the disc 201'. Football is the way to go.

Gotta remember the circumstances of his athletic career, as explained in a story on our front page last fall.

When he came to SMU it was with hopes that the track program would be revived. When it wasn't, he wanted to stay and work on his education, and getting a football ride was the only way he could do it. So with concentrating on football and not having a track team during the offseason, his lack of progress isn't surprising.

I'd posit that under normal circumstances that he'd indeed be a world-class thrower. He was by far the most impressive dude I saw at the '06 World Juniors. (and understanding that conversion to bigger weights kills many a thrower; but not usually ones of his size)

[GDAWG]

Went to the SMU athletic site and they do have a track and field program, but its limited to Women.

[jazzcyclist]

They still have to learn to hit and get hit, which is totally alien to track & field and which I suspect many athletes simply have no taste for.

I suspect that Christian Cantwell falls into this category, as I'm sure he had football coaches trying to recruit to the gridiron all throughout high school and probably college too.

[Marlow]

They still have to learn to hit and get hit, which is totally alien to track & field and which I suspect many athletes simply have no taste for.

I suspect that Christian Cantwell falls into this category, as I'm sure he had football coaches trying to recruit to the gridiron all throughout high school and probably college too.

Which I've always found odd. With his size and quick feet, is he not the perfect candidate for offensive guard or tackle? Blocking a defensive lineman requires size, brute strength and footwork, all of which CC has in abundance. Yes, there's hitting going on, but he's big enough to absorb the kind of power d-linemen possess. . . . our gain. Randy Matson was another. And how on earth did football miss out on Crazy Brian Oldfield, who was mayhem waiting to happen?!

[gh]

I'm drinking buddies with a pro who tried to teach Oldfield to box and he says, "Brian didn't like to be hit all that much."

That doesn't mean he wasn't a rough & tumble kind of guy, but playing football (and boxing) can take it up a whole 'nother notch.

[Blues]

They still have to learn to hit and get hit, which is totally alien to track & field and which I suspect many athletes simply have no taste for.

I suspect that Christian Cantwell falls into this category, as I'm sure he had football coaches trying to recruit to the gridiron all throughout high school and probably college too.

Which I've always found odd. With his size and quick feet, is he not the perfect candidate for offensive guard or tackle? Blocking a defensive lineman requires size, brute strength and footwork, all of which CC has in abundance. Yes, there's hitting going on, but he's big enough to absorb the kind of power d-linemen possess. . . . our gain. Randy Matson was another. And how on earth did football miss out on Crazy Brian Oldfield, who was mayhem waiting to happen?!

Cantwell participated in football, basketball, and track and field throughout most of his high school career, if not all of it.. He sustained a knee injury playing football during his junior year, and allegedly that injury influenced which sports he'd end up pursuing the most in the future.

[jazzcyclist]

I suspect that Christian Cantwell falls into this category, as I'm sure he had football coaches trying to recruit him to the gridiron all throughout high school and probably college too.

Which I've always found odd. With his size and quick feet, is he not the perfect candidate for offensive guard or tackle? Blocking a defensive lineman requires size, brute strength and footwork, all of which CC has in abundance. Yes, there's hitting going on, but he's big enough to absorb the kind of power d-linemen possess. . . . our gain. Randy Matson was another. And how on earth did football miss out on Crazy Brian Oldfield, who was mayhem waiting to happen?!

Ryan Bailey, who himself has a football background, seems to agree with us on Cantwell.

If I could pick one person from the world of track who would be ideally suited to American Football I would say Christian Cantwell, the shot putter. He would make a great defensive end. He’s really fast for a big guy.

http://spikes-mag.tumblr.com/post/40086 ... ays-it-was

[gh]

to give you an idea of how many Cantwells/Hunts the NFL may be poaching, there was an article in the local today about the 49ers' O-line, which is regarded as rather athletic, not just fat guys.

They line up like this: 6-5/315, 6-5/331, 6-3/318, 6-8/300, 6-5/323 (avg. 6-5/317) (1.96/144).

Think there's a world-class shot putter or discus thrower hiding in there somewhere?

[Marlow]

6-5/315, 6-5/331, 6-3/318, 6-8/300, 6-5/323 (avg. 6-5/317) (1.96/144).

All you have to do is look through the combine results for D Linemen and you'll see a gold-mine.

I picked this guy as representative:

Fletcher Cox
Position: DT
Conference: SEC
School: Mississippi State Bulldogs
Height & Weight: 6'4 - 295 lbs.
2012 NFL Combine Results
40-Yard Dash 4.79
Bench press 30
Vertical jump 26.0
Broad jump 8'7
Three-cone drill 7.07
20-yard shuttle 4.53

I then googled him to see if he had done track in HS. This is what I read:

What kind of athlete is he? Good enough to run track in high school. Not throw the javelin or shot put. He ran the 4×100.
“I was pretty fast,” Cox said. “I was 240 pounds. It was pretty fast for 240 pounds.”
Cox said he ran the second leg, but was sometimes the anchor. He was a high-jumper at first, but wanted to run.

So we've got this ca. 300-pound guy who can run a 4.79 40, has a vert of 26" and can bench 225 lbs 30 times in a row . . . even I could turn him into a SP machine in a year!!!