He Was a 1st Round MLB Pick, Then a .165 Hitter: Jordyn Adams' Insane College Football Return at 26 and Nobody's Ready For It

Alright, 12s, stop whatever you're doing. Seriously. We've seen some wild stuff in sports, especially in the offseason, but this? This is next-level bonkers. We're talking about a guy, Jordyn Adams, who at 26 years old, is making a career pivot so sharp it'll give you whiplash. After appearing in 38 Major League Baseball games, this dude is throwing on a helmet and shoulder pads again. He's going back to college to play football, like, this fall, for SMU. You heard that right. A former big leaguer, trading the diamond for the gridiron at an age when most folks are settling into their pro careers. You cannot make this up!

From Diamond Dream to Gridiron Gamble

Adams' journey to this moment is a rollercoaster. Back in 2018, the Los Angeles Angels drafted him 17th overall in the MLB Draft. That's a huge pick, and they shelled out a contract with a slot value of about $3.5 million to get him. He chose baseball then, despite also being a standout football player in high school. He spent 678 games grinding in the minor leagues, where he put up some solid numbers: a .245 batting average, 55 home runs, 304 RBIs, and a blistering 165 stolen bases. The dream felt real. He finally got his call-up, debuting in MLB in August 2023. He played 17 games that year, then another 11 in 2024 for the Angels. Then came the free agency dance for 2025, landing him with the Baltimore Orioles for 10 games. For the 2026 season, he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers and was assigned to Triple-A Nashville. But the big league dream hit a wall hard. He was released in May, with a Major League batting average of .165, just one homer, and five RBIs. Full-time big-league status just wasn't happening.

A Five-Star Receiver's Second Chance

Here's where it gets even crazier, and honestly, a little awesome. What a lot of people might not remember, or even know, is that Adams wasn't just some dude who could play a little football. In 2018, 247Sports ranked him as a FIVE-STAR wide receiver. He was the No. 3 wideout in his class and the No. 14 overall player in the entire nation. Think about the talent he was stacked against: Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ja’Marr Chase were the only receivers ranked ahead of him. Patrick Surtain II and Micah Parsons were also among the top 15 players in that same class. He committed to play at North Carolina back then, before the Angels made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Now, after his baseball career fizzled, he's taking that raw, undeniable football talent back to school. He signed with the SMU Mustangs and is set to play wide receiver this fall. It's a shocking, unexpected move, and you can bet the college football world, and honestly, the entire sports landscape, will be watching to see what this 26-year-old former pro can do. It's an absolutely wild second act, and we are HERE for it.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.