Former Texas Rangers Top Draft Pick Makes Shocking Decision to Play College Football at 26

Bubba Thompson was once a first-round pick of the Texas Rangers, but he's now going back to college to hit the gridiron.

Texas Rangers left fielder Bubba Thompson (8) slides into second base against the Baltimore Orioles during the eighth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 2023. | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

In an interesting move, former major league outfielder Bubba Thompson is heading back to school.... to play college football.

According to AL.com, Thompson is set to play quarterback at South Alabama next fall.

Bubba Thompson has enrolled at South Alabama and has joined the Jaguars football team as a walk-on, AL.com has learned.

Thompson, who will turn 27 in June, was an all-state quarterback at Mobile’s McGill-Toolen Catholic School in 2016, but has spent the last eight seasons playing professional baseball

Thompson, a former first-round pick of the Texas Rangers, made his major league debut with Texas in 2022. All in all, he's appeared in 109 big-league games with the Rangers and Cincinnati Reds. He played just 17 games for the Reds in 2024, hitting just .111 in limited action.

Lifetime, he's a .232 big-league hitter. He's performed better in the minors, hitting .263 with 52 home runs. He has not officially submitted retirement paperwork, but this would seem to signal the possible end of his baseball career.

Thompson will become one of several players to try their hands at playing both sports, though it's rare to see someone go play in college after spending eight years in pro baseball.

Russell Wilson, Brandon Weeden, Chris Weinke are just examples of players to do both. Of course, Brian Jordan, Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson all played both at the major league/NFL levels.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was selected in the first-round by the Athletics but ultimately ended up choosing football, where he was the No. 1 overall pick.

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