DivineLegion
06-06-2005, 10:10 AM
Playbook by the numbers: Minicamp update
From hardwood to gridiron
Are you a recent grad with little-to-no college football experience that dreads a boring 9-5 job, yet longs for a career in sports? Well, maybe the NFL is the place for you. However, it's looked upon favorably if you have a background in college basketball, are about 6-foot-5 and possess great hands and quick feet.
In a league where the ebb and flow of trends is constant, the latest fad appears to be converting college basketball players into NFL players. With an infusion of foreign talent flooding the NBA market, many former hoopsters are finding a demand for their rare combination of size and athletic ability. Duke's Reggie Love failed to make the Packers roster as a receiver in 2004, returned to Duke to finish his basketball career, and is now trying to make Dallas' squad as a linebacker. Former power forwards Wesley Duke of Mercer and Chevon Troutman of Pitt both played high school football, but have zero college football experience. Regardless, the Broncos and Redskins invited both to minicamp in hopes their basketball skill set would transfer onto the gridiron.
The impetus behind the conversion craze is the recent success of Antonio Gates. In 2003, the Chargers signed the former Kent State hoops standout, who last played football at Detroit's Central High School, as a free agent. In his first year, Gates started 11 games and posted 24 receptions and two touchdowns. San Diego's experiment truly paid off last season when Gates led the team with 81 catches, 964 yards and 17 TDs en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.
The path from the hardwood to the football field was paved years ago by Tony Gonzalez. The Chiefs' No. 1 pick in 1997 excelled at Cal as a tight end and as a power forward, leading the Golden Bears to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Aside from a failed tryout with the Miami Heat, Gonzalez has stuck with football, becoming Kansas City's all-time leading receiver and establishing himself as a perennial Pro Bowl selection.
Recent College Hoops to NFL Experiments
Player Position Team Height School
Wesley Duke TE Broncos 6-5 Mercer
Zach Hilton TE Saints 6-8 North Carolina
Reggie Love LB Cowboys 6-4 Duke
Chevon Troutman* TE Redskins 6-6 Pittsburgh
* -- No longer on the team
Offseason pillage
Randy Moss is the NFL's version of Puck, the colorful character from MTV's Real World: San Francisco. To outsiders, his antics and the problems he caused made for great TV. For those who were stuck dealing with him on a daily basis, the drama got old very quick. This past offseason, the Vikings decided to make their locker room less turbulent by shipping their talented, yet troublesome, receiver to Oakland.
While dealing away the NFL's most dangerous receiving threat might seem like a recipe for a 2005 disaster, the Vikings seem to have played their hand well. Minnesota has finished in the top five in total offense in four of the last five seasons, but has continually failed to address the needs of a porous defense that has ranked in the bottom 10 each of the last five seasons. With cap space freed up by trading Moss, the Vikings were able to sign 317-pound defensive tackle Pat Williams and solidified their linebacker corps through trades by adding Sam Cowart in the middle and Napoleon Harris on the outside. Minnesota should also improve its 29th-ranked pass defense with the additions of shutdown corner Fred Smoot and veteran safety Darren Sharper.
Offensively, the Vikings used the No. 7 overall pick they received from Oakland to draft WR Troy Williamson, who's speed and ability to stretch the field vertically should ease the loss of Moss. Minnesota's bold decision to unload huge amounts of money devoted to one superstar in exchange for the ability to finally address multiple position needs may finally propel the Vikings to the top of the NFC.
http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/8529517
From hardwood to gridiron
Are you a recent grad with little-to-no college football experience that dreads a boring 9-5 job, yet longs for a career in sports? Well, maybe the NFL is the place for you. However, it's looked upon favorably if you have a background in college basketball, are about 6-foot-5 and possess great hands and quick feet.
In a league where the ebb and flow of trends is constant, the latest fad appears to be converting college basketball players into NFL players. With an infusion of foreign talent flooding the NBA market, many former hoopsters are finding a demand for their rare combination of size and athletic ability. Duke's Reggie Love failed to make the Packers roster as a receiver in 2004, returned to Duke to finish his basketball career, and is now trying to make Dallas' squad as a linebacker. Former power forwards Wesley Duke of Mercer and Chevon Troutman of Pitt both played high school football, but have zero college football experience. Regardless, the Broncos and Redskins invited both to minicamp in hopes their basketball skill set would transfer onto the gridiron.
The impetus behind the conversion craze is the recent success of Antonio Gates. In 2003, the Chargers signed the former Kent State hoops standout, who last played football at Detroit's Central High School, as a free agent. In his first year, Gates started 11 games and posted 24 receptions and two touchdowns. San Diego's experiment truly paid off last season when Gates led the team with 81 catches, 964 yards and 17 TDs en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.
The path from the hardwood to the football field was paved years ago by Tony Gonzalez. The Chiefs' No. 1 pick in 1997 excelled at Cal as a tight end and as a power forward, leading the Golden Bears to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Aside from a failed tryout with the Miami Heat, Gonzalez has stuck with football, becoming Kansas City's all-time leading receiver and establishing himself as a perennial Pro Bowl selection.
Recent College Hoops to NFL Experiments
Player Position Team Height School
Wesley Duke TE Broncos 6-5 Mercer
Zach Hilton TE Saints 6-8 North Carolina
Reggie Love LB Cowboys 6-4 Duke
Chevon Troutman* TE Redskins 6-6 Pittsburgh
* -- No longer on the team
Offseason pillage
Randy Moss is the NFL's version of Puck, the colorful character from MTV's Real World: San Francisco. To outsiders, his antics and the problems he caused made for great TV. For those who were stuck dealing with him on a daily basis, the drama got old very quick. This past offseason, the Vikings decided to make their locker room less turbulent by shipping their talented, yet troublesome, receiver to Oakland.
While dealing away the NFL's most dangerous receiving threat might seem like a recipe for a 2005 disaster, the Vikings seem to have played their hand well. Minnesota has finished in the top five in total offense in four of the last five seasons, but has continually failed to address the needs of a porous defense that has ranked in the bottom 10 each of the last five seasons. With cap space freed up by trading Moss, the Vikings were able to sign 317-pound defensive tackle Pat Williams and solidified their linebacker corps through trades by adding Sam Cowart in the middle and Napoleon Harris on the outside. Minnesota should also improve its 29th-ranked pass defense with the additions of shutdown corner Fred Smoot and veteran safety Darren Sharper.
Offensively, the Vikings used the No. 7 overall pick they received from Oakland to draft WR Troy Williamson, who's speed and ability to stretch the field vertically should ease the loss of Moss. Minnesota's bold decision to unload huge amounts of money devoted to one superstar in exchange for the ability to finally address multiple position needs may finally propel the Vikings to the top of the NFC.
http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/8529517