Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates & Co. pave way to NFL for ... LeBron James? - Page 2

Tight ends who went from basketball to the NFL

Thu, Oct 20

9:58

AM ET

Chris Keane/Icon SMIFormer Miami forward Jimmy Graham is the latest basketball player who took his skills to the NFL.

This past Sunday, the New Orleans Saints' Jimmy Graham tied the NFL record with his fourth straight 100-yard receiving game as a tight end. Like some of the league's other outstanding tight ends, Graham played college basketball. A quick comparison of some of the league's top current TEs who used to post up in the key and now post up on NFL defensive backs:

Tight end	Team	In college	In NFL	Notable	Quotable
Jimmy Graham (6-6, 260)	Saints (third-round pick)	Played four seasons of hoops at Miami and blocked 104 shots; played one season of football, with 17 catches.	Has become prime target for Drew Brees; has 70 catches, eight TDs in two years	Took out own coach, Sean Payton, in sideline collision this week.	"I (was allowed) five fouls, so I was going to use every one of them." -- Graham on his hoops style.
Antonio Gates (6-4, 260)	Chargers (undrafted free agent)	Was AP honorable mention All-America basketball player at Kent State; didn't play football.	Became only seventh NFL tight end with 500 catches in 2010.	Career stats are better than all seven tight ends in Hall of Fame; No. 2 all-time in TDs at his position (69).	"Being 260 pounds, moving well and running the court got me noticed." -- Gates on his college basketball career.
Tony Gonzalez (6-5, 243)	Falcons (first-round pick by Chiefs)	Two-sport standout at Cal; key player on two NCAA tourney hoops teams.	Has records for single-season catches, career catches and yards and TDs by a tight end.	Once saved a man's life at a restaurant by using the Heimlich Maneuver.	"He has the speed to run away from a defender, the size to shield him from the ball and he can make the tough catch." -- ex-NFL assistant coach Joe Pascale on Gonzalez
Kevin Boss (6-6, 265)	Raiders (fifth-round pick by Giants)	Played both sports at Western Oregon	Had 45-yard catch in SB XLII to set up TD in Giants' win over Pats; has 126 career catches.	His older brother, Terry, is a goalkeeper for the Seattle Sounders of MLS.	"I've always felt my basketball background has given me an advantage on the football field." -- Boss.
LeBron James (6-8, 250)	Heat (although Seahawks made a jersey for him)	Thanks, but no thanks.	Attended Lions-49ers game on Sunday.	Tweeted his interest in playing in the NFL to ESPN's John Clayton and Seahawks' Pete Carroll.	"Athletically, he'd be an unbelievable tight end." -- Tony Gonzalez on James