Riley Cooper was picked by the Rangers in the 25th round of last June’s draft as an outfielder at the University of Florida, but he was also Tim Tebow’s second-favorite target as a wide receiver for the Gators and said yesterday that he plans to pursue a football career:
While many two-sport stars have chosen baseball over football, Cooper’s decision seems like a no-brainer given that he’s projected to go in the fourth round of the NFL draft. He was set to get a $250,000 bonus from the Rangers, but last year the average fourth-round pick in the NFL got a bonus of around $450,000 as part of a package worth about $2.25 million. Along those same lines, if I were a fourth-round pick as a baseball blogger (overdraft!) and a 25th-round pick as a male model (underdraft!) I’d probably have to give up my career of being sexy. In this case the decision is doubly easy because in addition to being a significantly higher pick in football, Cooper will be in the NFL next season whereas it would take him at least a few years to advance through the minors before joining the Rangers (and there’s a strong chance he’d never get there). Higher pick, quicker path, and more immediate money. Good luck on Sundays.
