SI covers feature J.J. Watt, Odell Beckham Jr., Russell Wilson, Matt Forte, Lavonte David in NFL preview
Some of the NFL's biggest stars will adorn Sports Illustrated covers around the country this week for the magazine's annual NFL preview issue.
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt headline a list of five players who will be featured on regional covers. Joining Beckham and Watt are Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David, Bears running back Matt Forte and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
Don't expect to see Watt in his traditional lineman stance. Watt, along with Bills defensive end Mario Williams, Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas, Wilson, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Lions middle linebacker DeAndre Levy and Bengals running back Jeremy Hill, revealed where else they would play on the field if they could swap positions with a teammate. Watt said he wants to take snaps under center at quarterback, while Thomas said he wants to be a punter.
Wilson's cover highlights how the quarterback will lead the Seahawks' back to the Super Bowl for the third straight year, and tells the story of how Wilson brought the entire team to Hawaii after the crushing loss of Super Bowl XLIX to have what the team calls a “come to Jesus” meeting.
• BISHOP: How the Seahawks moved on from their Super Bowl loss
Beckham Jr., entering his second year in the NFL, headlines a story about how last years' “best receiving class ever” will look to continue that success in 2015.
Forte, a two-time Pro Bowler, headlines a story on the status of running backs in the NFL. Although many teams are finding runners interchangeable, Forte has been a constant in the Bears’ offense since 2008.
David, entering his fourth season in the league, will take fans behind the art of the perfect tackle in the NFL. David, an All-Pro in 2013, has played 46 of 48 possible games in his career, recording 430 total tackles.
There is also a complete breakdown of all 32 teams, including predictions for every regular-season and playoff game.
The covers will be distributed regionally as followed:
Wilson: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Alaska,
Watt: Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri
Forte: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Eastern Missouri, Indiana, Michigan
David: Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina
Beckham: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington D.C
