If John F. Kennedy played soccer: central midfielder, rated 83

John F. Kennedy as a soccer player: scouting report

John F. Kennedy belongs in central midfield, and the touch football games on the lawn at Hyannis Port are only part of the reason. He grew up in a big, competitive household where every game was a contest, sailed off Cape Cod from boyhood and swam competitively at Harvard. A central midfielder needs that blend of competitive fire and composure, and passing is the best part of his card.

He won a Pulitzer Prize for Profiles in Courage, and a midfielder who wrote a book about nerve under pressure should be comfortable taking the ball in tight spaces with a man on his back. His speeches were known for short, memorable lines, and his passing works the same way: simple, clean and timed to land. His vision lets him switch play from one flank to the other, his shooting carries a real threat from the edge of the box, and his dribbling is good enough to carry the ball through the lines when the pass is not on. A lifelong sailor, he also reads space the way a skipper reads the wind.

Pace is the honest weakness, so he should not be asked to chase runners in behind. Shield him with a ball winning partner, give him a pair of wingers who attack the space, and he will feed them all afternoon. Goalkeeping is the surprise second best mark on his card, and winger is another workable spot, but his value peaks in the middle of the park. He is a strong early pick for a drafter who wants a playmaker to build around.

Plays like A metronome playmaker who sets the tempo and lifts the whole team

Put John F. Kennedy in your lineup

11 rolls, a starting eleven, 38 matches. Can you go 38-0? Free, no account.