Rather than splitting the squads by AFC and NFC, Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders drafted the teams with the help of some captains. Sanders picked Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt as his captains, while Rice chose New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn.
The untraditional way of picking teams leads to some odd matchups. Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Robert Mathis (Team Rice) will be rushing his teammate, quarterback Andrew Luck (Team Sanders). Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali also will be attempting to sack his quarterback, Alex Smith.
Let’s break down the rosters and see who came out with the better team.
QUARTERBACK
Team Sanders: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers; Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles; Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
Team Rice: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints; Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs; Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
Edge: Rice
RUNNING BACK
Team Sanders: Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs; Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers; Marcel Reece, Oakland Raiders (FB); Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins
Team Rice: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears; LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles; DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys; Mike Tolbert, Carolina Panthers (FB)
Edge: Rice
WIDE RECEIVER
Team Sanders: DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles; A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals; Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers; Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
Team Rice: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals; Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns; Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears
Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears
Edge: Sanders
TIGHT END
Team Sanders: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys; Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns
Team Rice: Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints; Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons
Edge: Rice
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Team Sanders: Trent Williams, Washington Redskins; Duane Brown, Houston Texans; Branden Albert, Kansas City Chiefs
Team Rice: Jordan Gross, Carolina Panthers; Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns; Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Edge: Rice
GUARD
Team Sanders: Logan Mankins, New England Patriots; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens; Kyle Long, Chicago Bears
Team Rice: Ben Grubbs, New Orleans Saints; Evan Mathis, Philadelphia Eagles; Jahri Evans, New Orleans Saints
Edge: Rice
CENTER
Team Sanders: Mike Pouncey, Miami Dolphins; Alex Mack, Cleveland Browns
Team Rice: Ryan Kalil, Carolina Panthers; Nick Mangold, New York Jets
Edge: Sanders
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Team Sanders: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions; Dontari Poe, Kansas City Chiefs; Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Team Rice: Kyle Williams, Buffalo Bills; Jason Hatcher, Dallas Cowboys; Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills
Edge: Sanders
DEFENSIVE END
Team Sanders: Greg Hardy, Carolina Panthers; Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills; J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
Team Rice: Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins; Robert Quinn, St. Louis Rams; Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
Edge: Sanders
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
Team Sanders: Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens; Tamba Hali, Kansas City Chiefs; Brian Orakpo, Washington Redskins
Team Rice: Justin Houston, Kansas City Chiefs; John Abraham, Arizona Cardinals; Robert Mathis, Indianapolis Colts
Edge: Rice
INSIDE LINEBACKER
Team Sanders: Paul Posluszny, Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
Team Rice: Vontaze Burfict, Cincinnati Bengals
Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
Edge: Rice
CORNERBACK
Team Sanders: Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals; Brent Grimes, Miami Dolphins; Darrelle Revis, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Tim Jennings, Chicago Bears
Team Rice: Alterraun Verner, Tennessee Titans; Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns; Brandon Flowers, Kansas City Chiefs; Antonio Cromartie, New York Jets
Edge: Sanders
SAFETY
Team Sanders: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs; Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers; T.J. Ward, Cleveland Browns
Team Rice: Antrel Rolle, New York Giants; Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills; Eric Reid, San Francisco 49ers
Edge: Sanders
KICKER
Team Sanders: Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens
Team Rice: Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots
Edge: Rice
PUNTER
Team Sanders: Brandon Fields, Miami Dolphins
Team Rice: John Hekker, St. Louis Rams
Edge: Rice
RETURN SPECIALIST
Team Sanders: Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings
Team Rice: Dexter McCluster, Kansas City Chiefs
Edge: Rice
SPECIAL TEAMER
Team Sanders: Matthew Slater, New England Patriots
Team Rice: Justin Bethel, Arizona Cardinals
Edge: Sanders
LONG SNAPPER
Team Sanders: J.J. Jansen, Carolina Panthers
Team Rice: Matt Overton, Indianapolis Colts
Edge: Even
Overall Edge: Rice (10-7-1)
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