Basketball players in the NFL, Miles next?

[nmduke2001]

The NFL has several former college basketball players on team rosters, most notably: Antonio Gates, Julius Peppers, Tony Gonzales and Jimmy Graham. I know that Rob Gronkowski is not a former college basketball player (although he played center in high school), but he is a tall and athletic guy. Watching 6 foot 7 Graham and 6 foot 6 Gronkowski dominate all season, it got me wondering if Miles Plumlee would make a better NFL tight end than an NBA power forward. Is 6-10 too tall for the NFL? With these 6-7 guys doing so well, I’m not sure 6-10 is too big anymore. I would bet that Miles would be the fastest TE prospect at the combine. I would guarantee that he would have the highest vertical jump of anybody there.

After seeing Miles against UVA sprint down the court, catch a lead pass and dunk it in one motion, it made me wonder if he could take that size and athleticism to the NFL. Is that crazy?

[mr shadow 008]

I would say no. Not because he doesn't have the athleticism to do it, but because he is so tall. Most tight ends are also used as some what of an extra tackle staying in to block on run plays. Because he is so tall he would not be able to get get leverage against defensive ends and linebackers and would then become a liability in the run game. That said if he was used strictly as a pass catcher then maybe.

[licc85]

Based on his athleticism alone, I think he still has a legitimate shot at making it on an NBA roster. I agree, he's too tall to be a tight end in the NFL.

[nmduke2001]

Based on his athleticism alone, I think he still has a legitimate shot at making it on an NBA roster. I agree, he's too tall to be a tight end in the NFL.

Until a year ago, I would have thought the same thing, but Graham is 6-7 and dominated the NFL.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Based on his athleticism alone, I think he still has a legitimate shot at making it on an NBA roster. I agree, he's too tall to be a tight end in the NFL.


Until a year ago, I would have thought the same thing, but Graham is 6-7 and dominated the NFL.
Ed "Too Tall"Jones got his nickname for a reason, but he proved them wrong. He's in the HOF, isn't he?

Blocking as a tight end might be a problem, but not if he's a wide receiver... :cool:

[CajunDevil]

Like I wrote in an earlier thread... Miles would be an incredible TE. His mix of size, speed, strength and jumping ability would be an absolute nightmare for defenses.

[Indoor66]

The NFL has several former college basketball players on team rosters, most notably: Antonio Gates, Julius Peppers, Tony Gonzales and Jimmy Graham. I know that Rob Gronkowski is not a former college basketball player (although he played center in high school), but he is a tall and athletic guy. Watching 6 foot 7 Graham and 6 foot 6 Gronkowski dominate all season, it got me wondering if Miles Plumlee would make a better NFL tight end than an NBA power forward. Is 6-10 too tall for the NFL? With these 6-7 guys doing so well, I’m not sure 6-10 is too big anymore. I would bet that Miles would be the fastest TE prospect at the combine. I would guarantee that he would have the highest vertical jump of anybody there.

After seeing Miles against UVA sprint down the court, catch a lead pass and dunk it in one motion, it made me wonder if he could take that size and athleticism to the NFL. Is that crazy?

I would point out that Peppers was a football recruit and player who was added to the BB team because of a shortage of players.

[DukieInBrasil]

Ed "Too Tall"Jones got his nickname for a reason, but he proved them wrong. He's in the HOF, isn't he?

Blocking as a tight end might be a problem, but not if he's a wide receiver... :cool:

If he can catch a lobbed football pass, then he's gold. There is no defensive back in the NFL who could remotely bother Miles going for a catch in vertical space. Miles has the hands to make that happen. Can you imagine the hilarity of watching Miles stiff-arm a 5'10 DB reaching out for the tackle?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

If he can catch a lobbed football pass, then he's gold. There is no defensive back in the NFL who could remotely bother Miles going for a catch in vertical space. Miles has the hands to make that happen. Can you imagine the hilarity of watching Miles stiff-arm a 5'10 DB reaching out for the tackle?
Or how far out of bounds he could reach and still keep his feet in bounds! OK, maybe that's stretching it a bit... :cool::rolleyes:

[nmduke2001]

If he can catch a lobbed football pass, then he's gold. There is no defensive back in the NFL who could remotely bother Miles going for a catch in vertical space. Miles has the hands to make that happen. Can you imagine the hilarity of watching Miles stiff-arm a 5'10 DB reaching out for the tackle?

Any "and goal" situation, you just have to throw the ball about 11 feet up in the air. There is no way any DB or LB could stop it.

Jason Garrett, head coach of the Cowboys, spent a few days with Coach K this summer watching practice. I wonder if he was doing some advanced scouting. Maybe the Cowboys take a flier in the seventh round. Mel Kiper's head would explode.

[-jk]

Any "and goal" situation, you just have to throw the ball about 11 feet up in the air. There is no way any DB or LB could stop it.

Jason Garrett, head coach of the Cowboys, spent a few days with Coach K this summer watching practice. I wonder if he was doing some advanced scouting. Maybe the Cowboys take a flier in the seventh round. Mel Kiper's head would explode.

Wouldn't be K's first player to get a shot with the Cowboys.

-jk

[jimsumner]

Wouldn't be K's first player to get a shot with the Cowboys.

-jk

I assume you're talking about Reggie Love. But Mike Tissaw also had a tryout with the Cowboys. Didn't work, obviously.

The Cowboys had some success converting hoopsters into football players in the 1960s, including Pete Gent (Michigan State) and Preston Pearson (Illinois), neither of whom played college football.

[Indoor66]

Any "and goal" situation, you just have to throw the ball about 11 feet up in the air. There is no way any DB or LB could stop it.

Jason Garrett, head coach of the Cowboys, spent a few days with Coach K this summer watching practice. I wonder if he was doing some advanced scouting. Maybe the Cowboys take a flier in the seventh round. Mel Kiper's head would explode.

Well they have taken fliers before: Bullet Bob Hayes! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hayes)

[jimsumner]

Well they have taken fliers before: Bullet Bob Hayes! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hayes)

Hayes played football in college. He did not play basketball in college.

[-jk]

I assume you're talking about Reggie Love. But Mike Tissaw also had a tryout with the Cowboys. Didn't work, obviously.

The Cowboys had some success converting hoopsters into football players in the 1960s, including Pete Gent (Michigan State) and Preston Pearson (Illinois), neither of whom played college football.

Well, actually I was thinking of Tiss. I hadn't considered Love in that light as he had football in his background.

As I recall, Tiss made it to the final cut. Fast and tall, but not quite quick enough.

-jk

[hq2]

Tissaw should have been playing football all along; he switched too late. It was his natural body build sport.
People have forgotten that tight ends also have to be able to catch the ball (see Rob Gronkowski, who has
incredible hands). Unfortunately, Miles isn't known for being great at that. Don't see it happening.

Hopefully, he can play overseas for a few years, make some money, and have fun. Chris Burgess, who had
similar abilities and stats, did so for nearly 10 years.

[jimsumner]

Tissaw should have been playing football all along; he switched too late. It was his natural body build sport.
People have forgotten that tight ends also have to be able to catch the ball (see Rob Gronkowski, who has
incredible hands). Unfortunately, Miles isn't known for being great at that. Don't see it happening.

Hopefully, he can play overseas for a few years, make some money, and have fun. Chris Burgess, who had
similar abilities and stats, did so for nearly 10 years.

Mike Tissaw did not have good hands.

[UrinalCake]

I love thinking about athletes and how they would do in other sports. For some reason Josh Hairston seems to be like the guy on our team who would make a good TE, he just seems to have the right mindset and build. I bet Mason would be an amazing volleyball player with his athleticism and timing. Tyler looks like he could be a running back.

[nmduke2001]

Interesting article on how the tight end position is changing. It also touches on how difficult it will be for defenses to game plan against the athleticism that the new tight ends bring. In addition, how hard scouts are working to find the next great athlete to play tight end. As you might guess, they are looking at college basketball players.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/01/tight_ends_have_changed_the_wa.html

[Turtleboy]

Hayes played football in college. He did not play basketball in college.Maybe he was referring to him as a flier. Sort of a play on words.

[BluDvlsN1]

It's no secret that i'm older than dirt!

But changing sports has a history which has been discussed here!
Lot's of examples, I think MP1 could have an NBA career, he is making those kinds of strides this year!

But he could be a formidable tight end if he chose too!

Little know, ancient fact!

John Havlicek played on the Ohio State BB National championship team with Lucas and Knight!
Before he went to the Celtics, he was drafted and tried out for the Cleveland Browns!

MP1 will have options, IMO

[Newton_14]

I love thinking about athletes and how they would do in other sports. For some reason Josh Hairston seems to be like the guy on our team who would make a good TE, he just seems to have the right mindset and build. I bet Mason would be an amazing volleyball player with his athleticism and timing. Tyler looks like he could be a running back.

I would see Tyler on the other side of the ball. Giving his help defense qualities, he would make a mean free-safety, breaking up passes, and drilling some poor wide receiver cutting across the middle.:)

[lotusland]

After seeing Miles against UVA sprint down the court, catch a lead pass and dunk it in one motion, it made me wonder if he could take that size and athleticism to the NFL. Is that crazy?[/QUOTE]

That was nice catch but miles often gets stripped or has a case of the the dropsies. Robert Parrish he is not.

[airowe]

Imagine this as a football.

2290

[licc85]

I'm pretty this has been brought up before, but Lebron James would, without a doubt, be THE most dominant TE to ever play football if he had went that route. I mean, he's a bigger, faster, more athletic Rob Gronkowski with mad hops and incredible hands. But I still think his skills are better utilized on the basketball court. It would be a shame to waste that court vision.

Also, I wonder how good of a shooting guard Calvin Johnson could have been? He's also a dominant athlete.

[Greg_Newton]

T'would be awesome... his approach to contact is certainly more suited for football.

I'm not sure he's got the hands for it, though.

[subzero02]

We have only had one sure fire NFL player on our basketball squad in recent years... If Paulus had played 4 years of college football he would have been a first round pick IMHO

[Duke79UNLV77]

Terrell Owens also was a bench college basketball player for UTC. I love citing these examples to point out the superiority of basketball athletes to my friends who only like football.

Besides Lebron, imagine what Blake Griffin could do in the NFL? What kind of lineman could Shaq have been? Jimmy Graham was a very good, but not exceptional, athlete in ACC basketball with questionable hands and skills, and is dominating people athletically in the NFL.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Interesting article on how the tight end position is changing. It also touches on how difficult it will be for defenses to game plan against the athleticism that the new tight ends bring. In addition, how hard scouts are working to find the next great athlete to play tight end. As you might guess, they are looking at college basketball players.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/01/tight_ends_have_changed_the_wa.html

Thanks for the link. The point is a valid one. The game of football is continuing to change, position by position. :cool:

Looking forward to February 1 and seeing what the recruiting class at Duke looks like.

[nmduke2001]

Jimmy Graham was a very good, but not exceptional, athlete in ACC basketball with questionable hands and skills, and is dominating people athletically in the NFL.

Jimmy Graham is the example that I keep coming back to when thinking about Miles in the NFL. I didn't even remember Graham until I saw a picture of him with long hair wearing the Miami basketball uniform. That brought back the memories of a decent player but not a physically imposing player. Graham has taken his average basketball size and athleticism and turned himself into a pro bowl NFL player. Miles could do everything that Graham is doing, IMO.

[UrinalCake]

Virginia Tech also had a thug, I mean basketball player that turned into an NFL tight end. Can't remember his name for the life of me. I think most of the converted tight ends were average to mediocre basketball players for the simple fact that if they were really good basketball players, they'd be playing in the NBA.

[Duvall]

Virginia Tech also had a thug, I mean basketball player that turned into an NFL tight end. Can't remember his name for the life of me.

Jeff King? I think he was a Virginia Tech football player that dabbled in basketball/thuggery, not a basketball player that later switched to football.

[slower]

We have only had one sure fire NFL player on our basketball squad in recent years... If Paulus had played 4 years of college football he would have been a first round pick IMHO

Mel Kiper's head would definitely explode after reading THAT statement. :)

Actually, I wonder if Kyle's combination of skill and toughness would have translated well. I could see him weathering the contact better than Miles. And, of course, he WAS an all-state quarterback in Oregon.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Interesting article on how the tight end position is changing. It also touches on how difficult it will be for defenses to game plan against the athleticism that the new tight ends bring. In addition, how hard scouts are working to find the next great athlete to play tight end. As you might guess, they are looking at college basketball players.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/01/tight_ends_have_changed_the_wa.html
Excellent link. At the end, they mention defensive players and when those "difference makers" will show up there. How about Miles as a 6'11" free safety or middle linebacker? He's never been one to shy away from contact; he might like to dish it out and not pick up a foul! :cool:

[Mal]

I could kind of see this, but also fear he'd be too much of a liability as a blocker to make it as a tight end. In the right offense, perhaps. Graham and Gronkowski are almost more like slot receivers in the way they're used - neither of their teams has a visible running game, anyway, but a tight end who can't block a lick isn't going to fit in 75% of NFL offenses. It would be interesting to take one of these guys like Miles, who can run and jump like crazy and has amazing height, and see if they could make an impact at wide receiver. Certainly he'd be devastating near the end zone in fade routes, in a way Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss could only dream of.

Re: the pass catching ability issue, I think having good hands as a pass catcher in football is easier than having good hands as a big man in basketball. Passes are always coming from the same angle, with the same rotation, never bouncing to you off the floor, and unless your QB is Brett Favre, they're never going to throw it right through your hands as hard as they can from 10 feet away. You're a good 45 feet or more from the QB most of the time, even at tight end, when receiving a pass. That's the equivalent of a pass to a guy under the bucket from half court.

[TheTrain]

I assume you're talking about Reggie Love. But Mike Tissaw also had a tryout with the Cowboys. Didn't work, obviously.

The Cowboys had some success converting hoopsters into football players in the 1960s, including Pete Gent (Michigan State) and Preston Pearson (Illinois), neither of whom played college football.

Don Shula converted Preston Pearson. He was a draft pick of the BALTIMORE Colts and played 3 years there and 4 or 5 years for the Steelers before becoming a member of the Dallas Cowboys in 1975

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Re: the pass catching ability issue, I think having good hands as a pass catcher in football is easier than having good hands as a big man in basketball. Passes are always coming from the same angle, with the same rotation, never bouncing to you off the floor, and unless your QB is Brett Favre, they're never going to throw it right through your hands as hard as they can from 10 feet away. You're a good 45 feet or more from the QB most of the time, even at tight end, when receiving a pass. That's the equivalent of a pass to a guy under the bucket from half court.
One of the problems with many quarterbacks is the do throw too hard at a close by receiver. Dan Marino actually had this problem - many times my dad yelled at the screen "don't throw it so hard!" Even exceptional receivers, like Mark Duper and Mark Clayton, dropped passes because they were simply thrown too hard because the QB was trying to zip it into them and get it by the defender. And, in general, you can throw a football harder and faster than you can through a basketball, simply because you can get a better grip on it, even if you have huge hands (like Elton Brand did).

I think that with practice, Miles' hands will be OK for catching a football. :cool:

[DueBlevil]

Relevant article re: Gronkowski and basketball:

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2012/01/gronkowski_hold.html?

Agree with those who say Miles just doesn't have good hands. I can't even count the number of times I have seen him lose his grip on a sure rebound to a smaller player.

[hq2]

Yeah, that gets it right. Gronk is Gronk, and Miles is Miles. IMHO, catching a football thrown by an NFL QB is harder
than catching a B-ball; they're putting it in there with velocity, and you're likely going to get hit on the way down too.


We have only had one sure fire NFL player on our basketball squad in recent years... If Paulus had played 4 years of college football he would have been a first round pick IMHO

Indeed. He chose the wrong sport. As I recall, when Paulus came in, he was about the best rated high school QB in the country.
If he had switched sports after his sophomore year, when it was becoming clear he wasn't quick enough to be an NBA player,
he might have made it in the NFL. He certainly did O.K. with his year in Syracuse.

[gwlaw99]

Anyone know if Miles played football in high school? I think it would be very hard for someone to play pro football who has never been exposed to the sport let alone not played in college.

[Acymetric]

With regards to "hands," its worth remembering that in basketball a significant part of catching the ball is finding a way to get rid of it soon after (to the floor for a dribble, to a player for a pass, or to the basket for a shot) while still catching it. In football there is (in most normal game situations) only one thing to do once the ball is touching your hands...grab it and hold it tight and never let go until the ref makes you give it up after the play. It is highly possible, IMO, for someone to do well with the latter while struggling with the former.

[nmduke2001]

Anyone know if Miles played football in high school? I think it would be very hard for someone to play pro football who has never been exposed to the sport let alone not played in college.

Could not find anything about Miles playing in HS, however I did come across this article about Jimmy Graham never playing until a fifth year at Miami.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/saints/story/2011-10-04/graham/50661300/1

So, I guess it can be done.

[phaedrus]

Passes are always coming from the same angle, with the same rotation, never bouncing to you off the floor...

Might want to check out the Tim Tebow thread.

[Mal]

Might want to check out the Tim Tebow thread.

HA! Well played, sir.

I'm going to agree to disagree with those who think that hanging onto a (usually) spiralling football thrown from significant distance, even with some good pace on it, is harder than catching a basketball at close range, even when it's not ricochetting at an odd angle off a rim or being bounced through traffic. In my decidedly non-professional track athletic history, I've had a lot more basketballs go right through my hands and out of bounds, due to taking my eye off it or it being at my waist or thrown too hard from 8 feet away, than dropped footballs.

Also, no disrespect to football, but it'd be a heck of a lot easier to pick up as a brand new sport at the age of 22 (for any position other than quarterback) than any of the other Big Four, or most individual sports other than endurance- or speed-centered ones. I know that there are schemes to learn and that it takes time to translate between playbook diagram to real movement of humans on the field. But so much of playing football is just pure instinct, blended with a little bit of knowledge of specific responsibilities. The actual skills, although I can appreciate that some offensive guards know the tricks of the trade to get leverage against different kinds of rushers in different locations, for instance, totally pale in comparison to shooting a basketball, hitting a baseball thrown at 90+ mph with a stick, or ice skating. It's not an absolute requisite to have played organized football to the same degree it is to have played basketball, hockey or baseball. There's a learning curve, which is enough deterrent for athletes and teams both in most cases, but it's at least a surmountable learning curve. Someone who's never played baseball by the time they finished high school couldn't possible hope to acquire the skills it would take to play in the major leagues.