Gable Steveson, defensive end?

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#2Gopher said:
Trouble with the fake wrestling industry is that their loyalty to the performers is often fake as well. He might be looking at other options such as football for the long run. Who knows what really is going on.
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There is an absolute ton of money in the fake wrestling industry if you have any bargaining power (which he will). There is no need for loyalty, neither party has it, and it's all about money.

There isn't any more loyalty in the UFC or NFL.
 

DMB123 said:
Lol, so he didn’t play in the NFL by choice? He was a terrible football player, the Vikings saw it and anyone who saw him play knew it. He was never taken seriously as a football prospect, ever.
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It's really hard to say. For someone who hadn't played football since HS, he was really impressive. He wasn't completely overwhelmed by the NFL and he is an absolute freak athlete.

If he didn't have opportunities elsewhere worth tens of millions, the prospect of going to NFL Europe and playing on a practice squad would have been real possibilities. Can I say he would have absolutely played in the NFL? Of course not. But if he didn't have those other opportunities, the road absolutely would not have had to end.
 

Well anyway ... it still seems far-fetched to me that he will suit up for the Gophers football team this fall.

Another thing to keep in mind: due to NCAA rules, even if his scholarship for the school year technically comes from the wrestling team .... it has to count against the football team's scholarship numbers.

So unless he's willing to pay his own way next year, they'd have to find a slot for him in the 85.
 

Anyone who wrestled will tell you that, while there are compatible skillsets, being a good wrestler doesn't by definition make you a good football player. Obviously a few things translate, but it's not even the same mindset.

Does being a wrestler make you better at recovering from being cut block? Absolutely. Kick the legs, drop the hands and go. Does being a good wrestler make you tough? Absolutely. Hardest workout there is in sports.

But you don't just switch. Micah Parsons is Gable's biggest fanboy, and Micah would get dominated by Wisconsin's #3 HWT if such a job even exists. Conversely, Gable transferring to the NFL would be multiple years on the practice squad. Similar routines aren't the same and, while Gable has a preternatural sense of balance and really fast feet, there just isn't a huge market in the NFL for 5'11", 260 pound defense ends. Could he maybe go the undersized, 3 tech route? Maaaaybe. After a few years. But meanwhile he'd be missing on millions of WWE or UFC money. Dude is built to wrestle. He's the single best HWT wrestling talent this country has produced in a generation, maybe longer. Maybe ever.

Trying to square peg him into a round NFL hole would be doing a massive disservice.
 

MinnySunDevil said:
Anyone who wrestled will tell you that, while there are compatible skillsets, being a good wrestler doesn't by definition make you a good football player. Obviously a few things translate, but it's not even the same mindset.

Does being a wrestler make you better at recovering from being cut block? Absolutely. Kick the legs, drop the hands and go. Does being a good wrestler make you tough? Absolutely. Hardest workout there is in sports.

But you don't just switch. Micah Parsons is Gable's biggest fanboy, and Micah would get dominated by Wisconsin's #3 HWT if such a job even exists. Conversely, Gable transferring to the NFL would be multiple years on the practice squad. Similar routines aren't the same and, while Gable has a preternatural sense of balance and really fast feet, there just isn't a huge market in the NFL for 5'11", 260 pound defense ends. Could he maybe go the undersized, 3 tech route? Maaaaybe. After a few years. But meanwhile he'd be missing on millions of WWE or UFC money. Dude is built to wrestle. He's the single best HWT wrestling talent this country has produced in a generation, maybe longer. Maybe ever.

Trying to square peg him into a round NFL hole would be doing a massive disservice.
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Good post.

Would say things like balance (you said), and also his natural quickness and ability to hand fight would go really well for speed moves.

Think his best path would be trying to speed around slower guards & centers. Again, I'm thinking Aaron Donald.


But you got it correct, there is still a whole lot that he would need to practice up from scratch. Footwork, hand placement, hand punch -- how much power/strength does he have in pressing with his arms? I don't think that's naturally used as much in wrestling, but incredible important on interior DL.

Nevermind the whole scheme and technique of different defensive calls. He's not going to get all that in one fall camp, from nothing.

So like I was saying, the realistic thing would be to put him in on likely passing situations and tell him to not even worry about the defense or tackling the ball carrier, just try to pressure the QB.
 




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