Antwaan Randle El is a unique football player in that, despite being an exceptional quarterback at Indiana University, he went on to be a very effective NFL player at the wide receiver position. It is rare for an athlete to be talented enough to play multiple positions at such a high level. Being able to excel in multiple positions on the soccer field is indicative of an athlete who is capable of excelling in multiple sports.
A little known fact about Randle El is that, in addition to his impact on the football field, he found time to contribute to other sports programs while studying at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. While in college, the high-profile athlete also played on the basketball team for one season under legendary head coach Bobby Knight (1998-1999 season) and even played college baseball in the 2000 season.
Randle El was born in August 1979 and demonstrated his impressive athletic ability at a very young age. Growing up in a predominantly African-American (80%) area of the South Side of Chicago, Randle El was an outstanding sports star of three for Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois, despite his relatively small size that peaked at 5′ 10″ and 190 pounds. While at Thornton Township, the future professional football player dominated his opponents on the gridiron, the court, and the baseball diamond. The eventual star quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers once set a record state at Illinois high school by scoring 69 points in a basketball game and was also drafted by the Chicago Cubs out of high school.
As a football player for the Indiana University Hoosiers, Randle El was considered one of the best offensive players in the tough Big Ten Conference. Despite being undersized for a Division I quarterback in the Big Ten, Randle El masterfully blended passing and rushing efficiency to help make Indiana one of the best offensive squads in the country. While quarterbacks with the ability to run the ball have historically been present in the game of college football, few combined the rushing and passing aspects of the position like Randle El, who would become the first player in college football history to college football to rush for 40 touchdowns and to shoot for 40 touchdowns.
While in Bloomington, Indiana, the star player broke numerous team and NCAA records while on his way to being named a first-team All-American quarterback and Big Ten Player of the Year after his senior season. During his full four years as a quarterback at Indiana University, Antwaan Randle El did what no other player had ever done by racking up 2,500 yards of offense four straight years.
Since leaving college in 2002, Randle El has been a valued player for both the Pittsburgh Steelers (where he won a Super Bowl) and the Washington Redskins. To utilize his athleticism in addition to normal receiving duties, Antwaan is often called upon to return kicks and participate in trick plays where he can showcase his passing skills from the wide receiver position.