Some NFL stars didn’t always line up where we’re used to seeing them now. Before they were dominating at their current position, they were dabbling somewhere completely different—whether by choice, necessity, or just because their high school coach had no idea what they were doing.
From future quarterbacks playing linebacker to pass rushers taking snaps at tight end, these guys took some wild detours before finding their true football calling. It just goes to show that the path to greatness isn’t always a straight line… or the right position.
14. Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill spent most of his high school career catching passes, not throwing them. That’s right—he was a wide receiver before switching to quarterback in college.
13. Richard Sherman
Sherman was once an offensive weapon as a wide receiver before becoming a lockdown corner. Turns out, covering routes came easier once you’d actually run them.
12. Brian Urlacher
Urlacher didn’t look like your typical bone-crushing linebacker in high school because he wasn’t one yet. He actually played safety and wide receiver before turning into a tackling machine at middle linebacker.
11. Julian Edelman
Long before he was catching clutch passes in Super Bowls, Edelman was a high school option quarterback. He did a little bit of everything, but wide receiver wasn’t on the list until much later.
10. Jason Peters
Peters started out as a tight end and even played some defensive line in high school. Becoming a Pro Bowl left tackle was nowhere on the original blueprint.
9. Clay Matthews
Matthews was considered undersized and barely saw the field in high school. When he did, he wasn’t the linebacker we all remember—he was mostly playing on special teams.
8. Eric Weddle
Weddle was a do-it-all player in high school—quarterback, running back, even punter. It wasn’t until college that he found his groove as a defensive back.
7. Terrelle Pryor
Pryor made a name for himself as a top dual-threat quarterback in high school and college. But after his NFL QB run fizzled, he reinvented himself as a wide receiver.
6. Devin Hester
Hester bounced around positions in high school and never really had a defined role. Eventually, he became the greatest return man in NFL history—because sometimes chaos leads to magic.
5. Travis Kelce
Kelce played quarterback in high school and loved slinging the ball around. It wasn’t until later that he transitioned into the tight end role that made him a superstar.
4. Antonio Gates
Gates didn’t even play football in high school—he was all about basketball. He eventually joined the NFL as an undrafted tight end and went on to a Hall of Fame career.
3. J.J. Watt
Watt was a tight end and even dabbled at fullback in high school. Eventually, he found his true home terrorizing quarterbacks instead of blocking for them.
Read More: 15 Superstar Athletes Who Were Cut From Youth Teams
2. Lamar Jackson
Lamar was such a gifted athlete in high school that some coaches wanted him to switch to wide receiver. Thankfully, he stuck with quarterback and proved everyone wrong, while running circles around them.
Read More: The NFL’s Biggest Stars That No One Believed In
1. Patrick Mahomes
In high school, Mahomes was also a standout baseball pitcher and didn’t fully commit to quarterback until later. It’s safe to say he made the right call… and now defenses wish he hadn’t.
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