10 Unsuccessful athletes that took their talent to the WWE

"Big Van" Vader

#5 ‘Big Van’ Vader

When you think about behemoths doing moonsaults and flips like they were cruiserweights, Vader’s name comes to mind. During the late 80s and early 90s, ‘Big Van’ Vader was arguably the scariest wrestler on the planet.

The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion was one of the most agile ‘big men’ - a trait which can be attributed to his years of playing football. Before Vader became a professional wrestler, he played for the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL.

Vader played college football for the University of Colorado, and was twice named an All - American, before he was picked up by the Rams during the NFL Draft in 1978. Leon White played three seasons in the NFL before suffering a career ending injury. Vader also appeared in Super Bowl XIV, but as fate would have it, he made his name in the professional wrestling business.