Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is one of the best athletes in the NFL and as a two-sport athlete in college he showed that by playing baseball and that is why the Texas Rangers selected the star at the winter meetings in the Rule 5 draft.

According to ESPN.com, the Rangers decided to make the pick that surprised a number of people, paying $12,000 to do it and they picked him as part of the Rule 5 draft. The move doesn't mean that Wilson will play baseball or has to play baseball, but it gives the Rangers the option of bringing him in if they want and it wouldn't be the first time if it did happen, as Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson also played in the NFL and MLB at the same time and they were pretty good at both. The report says that Texas wouldn't mind having a player like Wilson in spring training or during the early preparations for the season due to his experience as a pro.

The rangers had scouted Wilson during his time in college and in high school when he played second base abnd the team said that if he did want to play, he could come back to the organization to develop as a pro. The team praised his leadership and professionalism as well as his skills as an athlete. Wilson had been drafted before, including in 2010 by the Rockies and before that by the Orioles from high school in 2007 before he went to play at NC State where he starred as a second baseman. According to ESPN.com, Wilson hit .229 with five homers and 19 stolen bases while playing in Class A for the Rockies in 2010 and 2011.

"We feel like if he ever decided he wanted to come back and play again, he'd be a guy that we'd want in our system with us and see him develop," Preller said. "The biggest thing that intrigued us on Russell from afar is the makeup. I think the way he goes about his business, the professionalism, the competitor, (that's) the message that we try to preach throughout or organization."