Believe it or not, Ryan Seacrest played high school football and he reportedly "knocked the crap out of people." Looks can be deceiving. A number of other famous people played football at the collegiate level, though it's not terribly surprising they made it to that level. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson played defensive line at the University of Miami. Burt Reynolds, who probably could have wrestled alligators for a living if he wanted, played halfback at Florida State before an injury forced him to hang up the cleats. Forest Whitaker, another big guy, played too. He was a defensive lineman at Cal Tech. Click on for five guys who you might be surprised were once college football players.
5. Ed O'Neill--Ohio U. & Youngstown State, Defensive Line
Given his large frame and iconic character Al Bundy's celebrated football career at Polk High, it isn't shocking that Ed O'Neill played football in college. But college football is a rough sport and it's not like anyone who's 6-foot-1 can waltz out there and line up, otherwise guys like DJ Qualls might play on Saturdays. O'Neill earned a scholarship to Ohio University and later transferred to Youngstown State where he played on the squad's defensive line. O'Neill even got drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers but he was cut during training camp.
4. Dean Cain--Princeton University, Safety
Dean Cain didn't just play--he was awesome. Prior to becoming Superman in the popular TV series "Lois and Clarke The New Adventures of Superman," Cain played safety for the Princeton University Tigers. During his senior season in 1987, Cain set an NCAA Division-IAA record with 12 interceptions. Pretty damn super. Cain even signed on with the Buffalo Bills but his career as a pro athlete ended due to a knee injury, and maybe for the better; he didn't have to suffer through four consecutive Super Bowl losses.
3. Matthew Fox--Columbia University, Wide Receiver
Probably best known as Jack from "Lost" or as Charlie Salinger for the late-twentysomething "Party of Five" fans out there, Matthew Fox played wide receiver for the Columbia University Lions. The team was putrid during Fox's time with the team, suffering 44 consecutive losses from 1983 to 1988, the second longest futility streak in college football. Maybe that's why Fox's characters are all so sad.
2. Mark Harmon--UCLA, QB
Mark Harmon has been a part of long-running successful TV shows, including "Chicago Hope," "NCIS" and "St. Elsewhere." Before his acting career began, Mark, son of Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon, became the starting quarterback for the UCLA Bruins during the 1972 and 1973 seasons. In his first start for the Bruins, Harmon led his team to a 17-14 victory over the heavily favored Nebraska Cornhuskers, ending the Huskers' 32-game win streak. And about 30 years later, he starred alongside Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in "Freaky Friday."
1. Joel McHale--University of Washington, Tight End
Maybe it's the thin ties, pretty smile or what appears like a narrow frame: Joel McHale just doesn't look like a former college football player. But he was, and he wrote all about his experience as a walk-on at the University of Washington in the early '90s. "I'm 6-foot-4, and when I got to Washington I was probably 220 or 225 pounds," he writes. "By the time I left I was 250. " McHale played tight end for the scout team, which basically mimics the opponent's plays and gets pounded by the starters. Still, the players are talented, and large. That's probably how McHale gets away with being such a prick on "The Soup."