21 Celebs You Didn't Know Were College Athletes
Jeremy Hayes
Acting, singing, and an athlete? A triple threat!
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Actor Emma Watson is probably best known for her roles as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series and Belle in the live-action Disney adaption of Beauty and the Beast.

In 2010, Watson joined the Brown University field hockey team. So she majored in English literature in the classroom and majored in kicking ass on the field.

I probably can't list all of Denzel Washington's great movies, so I will leave it at saying he is one of the more recognizable faces in movies.

While attending college at Fordham University, Washington played basketball as a guard while he was earning a BA in drama and journalism.

Known for roles from playing Dan in Roseanne to voicing Sully in Monsters, Inc., John Goodman has had quite the acting career.

Before he was a household name, he played college football at Southern Missouri State University as a lineman. His collegiate career never really happened due to injuries, so his focus went toward acting, and the rest is history.

Leslie Jones was an SNL darling as far as cast members. Her career as a comedian has even led her to hosting her own shows like Supermarket Sweep.

She went to Chapman University on a basketball scholarship. Picturing Jones in the paint on defense, that must have been pretty intimidating, especially if she was ready to roast your entire life.

Former wrestler turned Hollywood movie star Dwayne Johnson has found profitable success on the big screen.

Johnson played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and was on the 1991 national championship team. He went undrafted and tried the CFL, but his calling was in the wrestling ring, where he became "The Rock" for the millions...and millions of fans.

I wouldn't have taken Keanu Reeves as a hockey player, but he played at De La Salle College as a goalie. I would hate to see what John Wick could do with an ice skate. Other than John Wick, Reeves has had a very successful acting career throughout his life, from Speed to The Matrix.

In 1996, Mahershala Ali attended St. Mary's College (CA) on a basketball scholarship. He lost interest in a sports career and turned to theater.

Ali has been taking on the film industry by storm since the late 2010s, starring in Moonlight, Green Book (for both films, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), and is set to lead in Marvel's Blade.

2 Chainz (Tauheed Epps) played basketball for Alabama State University.

Best known for his solo rap career, which took of in 2012, under the name 2 Chainz, he has become one of the more recognizable names in the industry.

Jason Sudeikis is best known for his time as part of the SNL cast, but he is also an ex-athlete. He played basketball at Fort Scott Community College.

Once leaving basketball behind, he turned to improv comedy, which turned into an SNL spot, which then turned into great work in both TV and film.

Imagine this man throwing a javelin. Because that is exactly what he did at Oklahoma State University in the early '80s.

When he was done throwing javelins, he went on to have an amazing career in country music and is one of the top best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 170 million records.

You probably know him from Modern Family, but Ed O'Neill has had quite the career in athletics.

Before taking on hilarious dad roles, O'Neill played college football at Ohio University and Youngstown State (after transferring). He almost got a spot on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster in 1969, but was up against all-time great "Mean" Joe Greene at the same position.

Best known for his roles in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Everybody Hates Chris, Crews was actually a defensive end for Western Michigan University. He actually bounced around the NFL for a bit before ultimately taking on roles in TV and movies.

Both monsters from Monsters, Inc. made the list!

Billy Crystal, a hardcore New York Yankee fan, made the baseball team at Marshall University, but never got the chance to play, and instead, attended Nassau Community College.

Channing Tatum attended Glenville State College to play football but eventually dropped out.

He has found success in acting and is probably most known for his roles in the Magic Mike series and the 21 Jump Street reboot.

Bianca Crawford (Belair) was a track star at the University of Tennessee, where she earned All-SEC and All-American. She was also on the SEC's academic honor roll in 2011 and 2012.

Now in the WWE, she is quickly becoming the biggest rising star in pro wrestling.

Weathers played football as a defensive end for San Diego State University. He was good enough to make the NFL in 1970 as an undrafted free agent for the Oakland Raiders. Playing extras in movies eventually led to him becoming quite the star in the '80s.

The man's been involved in Star Wars, Predator, and Rocky...how can I not love him?