Former Major League outfielder Bubba Thompson traded his bats for pads, walking on as a quarterback for the South Alabama Jaguars. Will he be the next great multi-sport story, or even see the field?
Bubba Thompson Returning Home To Attempt A College Football Career at South Alabama
Thompson took the circuitous route to the world of college football.
🚨WILD: Former #MLB first-round pick Bubba Thompson is leaving baseball and joining the University of South Alabama’s football team as a walk-on.
Thompson is turning 27 years old but had a .111 batting average this season for the Reds.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 15, 2025
From riding the bus in locales like Kinston, North Carolina, to looking to make his mark on FBS football, the former first-round baseball draft can boast that he’s seen it all. After a baseball career that saw him collect a large signing bonus and earn a World Series ring, the South Alabama walk-on hopes to take a new path.
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In choosing South Alabama, Thompson chose a city, his city to re-ignite his football career. Mobile isn’t just another sports town. From Hank Aaron and Satchel Paige to Jalen Tolbert and Bryce Huff, the Port City enjoys a strong athletic pedigree.
Former South Alabama standout and current Dallas Cowboys wideout Jalen Tolbert calls Mobile home. Tolbert and Thompson played on the same high school squad, McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. Now, one of the better athletes in recent memory returns.
Thompson’s Quarterback Potential
While Thompson hasn’t taken a competitive snap since he graduated high school in 2016, optimism reigns. He brings a diverse toolbox to campus. First, he possesses little to no football wear and tear. Next, he retained above-average arm strength and mobility. From first blush, Thompson profiles as a dual-threat quarterback, capable of extending the play with his legs and keeping an active pocket.
Thompson picked a university with a sharp quarterback mind as the head coach. Major Applewhite, Texas Longhorns legend, holder of a dozen school records, will potentially help the freshman soon-to-be-27-year-old navigate the process of getting up to speed. Applewhite, besides an outstanding player career, earned a reputation as someone who will extract the best from his quarterbacks.
Precedent for Baseball Converts in College Football
Now, before anyone wants to chuckle and guffaw regarding Thompson’s attempt to see the field as an FBS quarterback, college football possesses a lengthy history of former baseball players that make the switch to football later in their twenties.
For instance, Brandon Weeden sported a 19-26 record with a 5.07 ERA as a pitcher in the New York Yankees farm system. Weeden, by all accounts, could not hit the broad side of a barn with a baseball. As a result, at the age of 24, he enrolled with the Oklahoma State Cowboys and served as a backup to starting quarterback Zac Robinson (the current Cincinnati Bengals head coach).
Weeden led the program to a 26-4 record, completing 69.5 percent of his passes and throwing for 9,260 yards and 75 touchdowns. Additionally, the Cleveland Browns drafted him with the 22nd overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. The patron saint of twentysomething baseball/football changes, Weeden showed that, with work, NFL dreams can happen.
Unlike Weeden, Chris Weinke was actually a step away from the major leagues. The former Yankees minor league first baseman showed enough pop but not enough to stick on an MLB roster. He left baseball, enrolling in and joining the Florida State Seminoles football program.
As a starter, Weinke won over thirty games, won the 2000 ACC Player of the Year, the Heisman Trophy, and a national championship to boot. The Carolina Panthers drafted Weinke in 2001, going 2-18 over his seven NFL seasons. Now, he serves as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Thompson begins a journey to succeed on the football field. While no one knows how his story will pan out, historical evidence gives him a fair chance at taking a step on the field for South Alabama. The onus falls on his shoulders to make a move on the depth chart.
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