Better Athlete: Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson?

[Hov]

Who was the better athlete, Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson?

• Bo Jackson:
  
  • No. 1 overall pick in the 1986 NFL draft
  • 6'1", 230 lbs, 4.12 40-yard dash
  • 4 years in the NFL, 2,782 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns, 5.4 yards per carry, 352 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns
  • 9 years in the MLB, .250 batting average, 598 hits, 141 home runs, 82 stolen bases

• Deion Sanders:
  
  • No. 5 pick in the 1989 NFL draft
  • 6'1", 200 lbs, 4.27 40-yard dash
  • 53 interceptions, 1,331 return yards for 9 touchdowns, 784 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns
  • 3,523 yards and 3 touchdowns on kick returns, 2,199 yards and 6 touchdowns on punt returns
  • 9 years in the MLB, .263 batting average, 558 hits, 39 home runs, 186 stolen bases

 

[feelosofer]

Deion is more accomplished and an amazing athlete in his own right but in my lifetime I have never seen a person of Bo Jackson's size 6'1 215-220 move with that level of speed. I mean imagine. A Brandon Jacobs type of back with Tyreek Hill level speed.

 

[bigde09]

Bo

 

[Ol’Otis]

No homo them nikkas were built different

 

[Ethnic Vagina Finder]

Fun fact. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers practically sabotaged Jackson’s NFL career.


Jackson was selected with the first overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he refused to play for them because a visit to team facilities the Buccaneers said was NCAA-approved was actually not, causing him to miss the remainder of his final college baseball season.


So he went to play baseball… then the NFL ruined his baseball career.


Basically, Bo Jackson never maximized his athletic ability the same way Sanders maximized his. If Jackson stuck to baseball only, he probably ends up with 500 home runs and has a HOF career. Had he decided to go to the Bucs and just stuck with football,, he would’ve had an average career.

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

Bo, without a doubt

 

[CoryMack]

Bo was the better pure athlete. Bigger than Deion and faster. I believe even Deion said Bo was better cause he could hit the curveball.

They were talking about this on the radio yesterday and dude said Bo was a pro bowler in football and an all star in baseball.

 

[CoryMack]

Fun fact. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers practically sabotaged Jackson’s NFL career.


Jackson was selected with the first overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he refused to play for them because a visit to team facilities the Buccaneers said was NCAA-approved was actually not, causing him to miss the remainder of his final college baseball season.


So he went to play baseball… then the NFL ruined his baseball career.


Basically, Bo Jackson never maximized his athletic ability the same way Sanders maximized his. If Jackson stuck to baseball only, he probably ends up with 500 home runs and has a HOF career. Had he decided to go to the Bucs and just stuck with football,, he would’ve had an average career.

He might've had an average career with the Bucs but who's to say? If he concentrated on football and didn't get hurt he wouldn't have had an average career, he most likely would've been a perennial all-pro. He would've had Herschel Walker's career, but better.

 

[BlackAchilles]

IDK about some hypothetical "pure athlete" comparison but on paper Deion is more accomplished so he has my vote

 

[Bboystyle]

Bo and it aint even close

 

[papa pimp]

what do accomplishments have to do with athleticism? lol.

 

[kevin arnold]

Deion himself said it was Bo

 

[Amerikan Melanin]

Bo Jackson was the modern day John Henry. Once in a generation type of athlete. He didn’t even work out!

 

[Big Boss]

No homo them nikkas were built different

How different

 

[Ol’Otis]

How different

Like naturally muscular

Tone to perfection