DeMarco Cox is enjoying a different kind of March Madness: The college basketball player just signed a contract with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.
Cox just wrapped up his final season in the college basketball ranks, serving as the third-leading scorer and rebounder at Georgia Tech. The 6-foot-8, 294-pound big also led the team in blocked shots.
The Yellows Jackets' season ended on March 10 after a loss in the ACC Tournament. Shortly thereafter, the Colts began pursuing Cox. They want to bring him to training camp and see whether he has what it takes to play at the professional level.
Cox does have some experience playing football in high school, and he received scholarship offers from SEC and Big Ten football programs. He ultimately chose basketball, though, which was his first passion -- even if others thought he was better suited for football.
Even at Georgia Tech, his football potential was obvious -- the school's head football coach didn't think basketball was the sport for him.
I told Demarco Cox he was playing the wrong sport. Wish him the best of luck with the @Colts.
— Paul Johnson (@GTPaulJohnson) March 19, 2015
The Colts, meanwhile, have made a habit of signing athletes from other sports to see how they might work in professional football. Cox actually becomes the third college basketball player on the team, joining backup lineman Joe Reitz and tight end Erik Swoope. None of those three ever played college football, according to the Indianapolis Star.
Reitz has been in the NFL since 2008. Cox and Swoope, meanwhile, will be competing for a roster spot this summer. And they'll be up against another fish out of water: South African rugby star Daniel Adongo.
