Mark Blicavs, the son of former Australian basketball representatives Andy and Karen Blicavs (nee Ogden), stands 198cm tall - the same height as his new teammates Nathan Vardy and Trent West - and runs three kilometres in less than eight-and-a-half minutes.
As a comparison, Hawthorn draftee Brad Hill ran the fastest 3km time trial at this year's NAB AFL Combine, finishing in nine minutes and 52 seconds.
Incredibly, Blicavs will spend the summer combining athletics and football training as he aims to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics in the steeplechase.
If he succeeds, a football career will be put on hold.
Fail, and he'll join the Cats full-time and could line up in the club's VFL team next season.
Geelong recruiting maestro Stephen Wells, who rookie listed basketballer Ryan Bathie under the same unregistered player rule last year, said he'd been encouraged by his conversations with the gifted athlete.
"He (Blicavs) has got a good build," Wells told AFL.com.au on Tuesday afternoon.
"We're not sure what sort of player he's going to be yet, but when he gets to a point where he's concentrating on his footy, it'll all become a bit clearer to everybody.
"He's doing a lot of training at the moment, so when he cuts back his running, no doubt he'll put on a bit more weight."
Importantly for Geelong, in joining as a formerly unregistered player, the former Sunbury junior won't take the spot of another rookie on the 2011 premiers' list.
"You've got to explore all the options, and that's what we're doing," Wells said.
"We'd like to emphasise that he's not taking the place of a footballer at the moment.
"He's an extra on our rookie list, so we think it's worth a punt."
Blicavs was one of a number of rookie list signings announced by the AFL on Tuesday, which also included former US college basketballer Ben Dowdell officially joining Adelaide.
Dowdell, who stands 201cm, was unveiled by the Crows in October.
Signings announced Tuesday:
Out of contract primary list draft nomination
Nil
International player inclusion on rookie list
Collingwood - Caolan Mooney (Ireland)
Richmond - John Heslin (Ireland)
Players not registered or played for three years inclusion on rookie list
Geelong Cats - Mark Blicavs (Athletics)
NSW scholarship player and international scholarship player inclusion on rookie list
Brisbane Lions - Richard Newell (NSW Scholarship)
Carlton - Matthew Lodge (NSW Scholarship)
Collingwood - Michael Hartley (NSW Scholarship)
Sydney Swans - Jack Lynch (NSW Scholarship)
Alternative talent
Adelaide Crows - Ben Dowdell
