Farrell's Rewind: Remembering Hester vs. Washington in 2002

RELATED: Remembering the Honey Badger's recruitment

When NFL record-holder Devin Hester was cut by the Falcons in late June and with retirement looming as an option, not only did it make me feel old but it also brought back a memory.

The top two cornerbacks in the 2002 Rivals.com rankings both went onto NFL success and when I dug deeper it turns out both became record-setters at the NFL level, not just Hester.

And the interesting part?

Neither ended up playing cornerback in the end.

High school: While he was listed as a cornerback, Washington was also recruited as a running back by several schools in 2001 and 2002. Despite growing up as a fan of the Florida Gators, in the end his process came down to the Gators, Florida State and South Carolina after he took official visits to these three schools, as well as Oklahoma and Maryland. Favoring Florida State throughout January, he committed to the Seminoles on National Signing Day.

College: Washington’s first two seasons in Tallahassee were productive, both as a running back and as a returner. His most productive season came in 2004 as a junior, as he rushed for 951 yards and seven touchdowns. His season ended with a 195-yard performance against West Virginia in the Gator Bowl, which earned him the Offensive MVP.

NFL: Selected in the fourth round by the New York Jets in 2006, Washington played for four seasons with the Jets before spending time with Seattle, New England and finally Tennessee. Last playing during the 2014 season, Washington finished his playing days with the NFL record for most career kickoff returns for a touchdown, tied with Joshua Cribbs, with eight, plus the NFL record for most kickoff returns for a touchdown in a game with two. He also rushed for 2,271 yards and 16 touchdowns during his nine seasons in the league.

My take: Washington wasn’t the tallest player but he was thick and strong, and he had a toughness about him that showed on both sides of the ball. He had excellent ball skills that he showed off as a receiver at times as well and he was a special teams star on both kickoff and punt returns. He had a solid career with FSU but nothing that made you feel he’d last in the NFL for nearly a decade or set records. It was that determination and toughness he showed out of high school that led to his success.

High school: Just as Washington made the move from cornerback to running back, Hester was also recruited as a wide receiver by several schools. Hester, who took official visits to Miami, Florida State, Georgia, NC State and Purdue, seemed to have his process down to the Canes and Seminoles as National Signing Day approached. With his last two official visits being to these two schools, the Seminoles had an opportunity to make up some ground but it wasn’t enough as Hester committed to Miami at the conclusion of his official visit to Coral Gables in late January.

College: With the Canes, Hester saw time at wide receiver, cornerback, running back and on special teams. However, it was his success on special teams that helped him quickly make a name for himself as he returned six kicks for touchdowns during his three seasons.

NFL: Originally drafted as a cornerback coming out of Miami, Hester was selected in the second round by Chicago in 2006. With the Bears, he immediately became their top return man as well as a slot receiver. During his eight seasons in Chicago and final two in Atlanta, Hester had an NFL-record 20 special teams return touchdowns, plus 3,311 receiving yards. This helped him earn four Pro Bowl trips and the honor of being named to the NFL 2000’s All-Decade Team as a returner.

My Take: Hester, like Washington, did a lot of things in high school including playing cornerback, running back and wide receiver but it was his return skills that electrified everyone. He wasn’t nearly as physical or tough as Washington but he was faster and much more explosive. In the CaliFlorida Bowl, a great event back in the day, he had an 80-yard kickoff return for a score and we saw him as a Deion Sanders type of corner, not overly physical but so fast that he could recover on anyone, and that speed would make him a special teams and possibly even an offensive threat. Washington appeared to be more of a sure thing because he played angry, but it was Hester’s speed that made him more of a success overall in college and the NFL.

Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.