KC Royals: NFL Stars Drafted by the Royals

Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Bo Jackson

Bo Jackson is the player that is easiest to recall. His incredible feats, both on the diamond and on the gridiron, were the stuff of legends. He would hit tape measure home runs, scale walls, fire darts from the outfield to eliminate the thought of even taking an extra base and shatter bats over his knee. On the gridiron, Bo would run over would-be tacklers as though they were not there. Who can forget when he ran through Brian Bosworth, or ran down the tunnel after scoring a touchdown? Bo was a player unlike any other.

Unlike the other players on this list, Bo also played for the KC Royals. During his time in Kansas City, Bo produced a .250/.308/.480 batting line, hitting 109 home runs and stealing 81 bases. He was an All-Star, and finished tenth in the 1989 MVP ballot. Considering that Bo was just starting to become a polished product when his hip injury occurred, one has to wonder what he would have been had he stayed healthy.

As a football player for the Oakland Raiders, Bo was equally impressive. he had a career 5.4 yards per carry average, amassing 2,782 rushing yards in 38 games. Three times in his four year career, Bo led the NFL with the longest rushing attempt, scoring from 91, 92, and 88 yards out. He made the Pro Bowl in 1990, the same year that he was able to make his first postseason appearance. Unfortunately, that game would mark the end of Bo Jackson as we knew him, as his hip injury required his hip to be replaced.

One has to wonder if modern medicine would have saved Bo, or what he would have been had he focused exclusively upon baseball. Yet, in his all too brief career, Bo Jackson was a player unlike any other, and someone that still evokes awe from his athletic exploits.

Next: Before he was Prime Time