Ex-LSU coach offered Zion football scholarship

Duke's Zion Williamson has taken the basketball world by storm, but he had an opportunity to try his hand at a completely different sport.

The highly touted prospect received scholarship offers from several top schools, and at least one was looking to recruit him as a football player.

"I thought, hell, why not, he's probably the best damn tight end to ever live," former LSU tight ends coach Eric Mateos said, according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

Mateos, now an offensive line coach at Texas State, figured the Tigers had nothing to lose by chasing the 6-foot-7, 285-pound phenom.

"Honestly, I just thought it would be really fun and would be good exposure for LSU if we offered him for football," Mateos said. "Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be too (interested). Coach O (Ed Orgeron) said go recruit the best athletes in the country, and that's what I tried to do."

Williamson has been as dominant as advertised, averaging 25.3 points and 10.7 boards while shooting 82.1 percent from the field through three games.