Former FSU star Myron Rolle heads to Harvard for neurosurgery residency

There is a fine line between intelligence and brilliance. Myron Rolle belongs in the latter category.

On Friday, Rolle, a former Florida State defensive star and fourth-year medical student, announced he matched with Massachusetts General Hospital and will head to Harvard’s neurosurgery residency program in Boston.

Rolle’s intellect has never been a secret. Even a high school senior, the Rivals.com five-star and No. 1 ranked athlete in the 2006 class always spoke of his desire to attend medical school after his football career. A star safety for FSU, Rolle made waves as soon as he stepped on campus. The superbly athletic defensive back was named to the 2006 Freshman All-American team. As a junior, Rolle continued his dominance on the field as an AP third-team All-American selection.

Rolle’s academic success actually overshadowed his football dominance. It took merely two-and-a-half years for Rolle to earn his bachelor’s degree in exercise science, boasting a 3.75 GPA. Afterwards, Rolle was one of 32 students in 2008 to receive the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, which allowed him to spend 2009-10 at Oxford University earning a master’s of science in medical anthropology.

After his year at Oxford, Rolle was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Rolle’s time in the NFL was short as he played for Tennessee and Pittsburgh before retiring in 2013 to attend Florida State University College of Medicine.