Rivals Crossover Series: Would Zion or LeBron been better at football?

In our ongoing Rivals Crossover Series, the national football and basketball analysts discuss whether LeBron James or Zion Williamson would have been a better football player if they also chose to play that sport in college and beyond:

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MORE CROSSOVER SERIES:

The top 10 football-basketball combo prospects

The top 10 football-basketball combo schools

No. 1 vs. No. 1 (2003): LeBron James vs. Ernie Sims

No. 1 vs. No. 1 (2004): Dwight Howard vs. Adrian Peterson

No. 1 vs. No. 1 (2005): Gerald Green vs. Derrick Williams

No. 1 vs. No. 1 (2006): Greg Oden vs. Percy Harvin

No. 1 vs. No. 1 (2007): Michael Beasley vs. Jimmy Clausen

No. 1 vs. No. 1 (2008): BJ Mullens vs. Terrelle Pryor

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I've never seen anything or anybody like LeBron James. His combination of freakish athleticism, size and incredible durability make him the guy to go with in this situation. Also, he proved himself as an elite high school football player and there are many big-time college coaches who saw him as a sophomore and junior -- before he quit as a senior while recovering from a broken wrist -- that thought he had the goods.

Also, look at some of the film circulating from the NBA lockout when LeBron started playing football. I get that they were flag football games against basketball players, but that guy is different. One last thing, LeBron is probably the smartest basketball player that I've ever seen in 20 years in the business. There's zero doubt in my mind that his ability to process basketball at a high level would translate to football.

I am a bit too young to remember what James was like in high school. I do want to side with Zion Williamson, but his injury history raises some question about his longevity in a full-contact sport like football. Sure, there are not many 6-foot-8 players running around a football field, but there also aren’t many athletes like James, either.

I am not sure what position James would play but, then again, he's positionless on the basketball court as well. He does it all, which is why he would not only be a dominant beast on one side of the field, but as both an offensive, defensive and special teams dynamo.

You have to go with LeBron here because he actually did it and was a dominant football player before he solely focused on hoops. Zion would have been a nasty defensive lineman in my eyes and an elite player, but LeBron had the skills to be one of the best wide receivers or tight ends of his generation.

I’m leaning LeBron here because I remember watching him in high school and especially at the adidas ABCD Camp in New Jersey and never seeing a high school basketball player at his size be so fluid, versatile and intelligent.

As a football prospect, he would have been outstanding because in high school he was 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, someone who would have been a big target as a receiver. He reminded me of a slightly taller and leaner version of Arik Gilbert, just an intelligent playmaker who would surprise people with his speed. James was fast on a basketball court so that would translate really well to playing receiver.

But this is closer than I first imagined because Zion Williamson is now 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds. He would be one of the most dynamic and huge defensive ends in college football or he could possibly even move inside, gain more weight and be one of the most shockingly athletic defensive tackles in the game. I’m siding with LeBron here because I’m not betting against him being great at anything he puts his mind to, but Zion has a big-time argument along the defensive line.