Hoops-To-Football Experiment
May 11th, 2018
Channeling Antonio Gates.
It seems there is a correlation from basketball to football.
At least when it comes to tight ends.
Soon-to-be Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez was a pretty fair college basketball player at Cal. He once played in a Sweet Sixteen game in the NCAA tournament. Gonzales was an even better college football player, a first round pick of the Chiefs in 1997.
Antonio Gates did a bit better. Playing for Kent State, the Golden Flashes reached the Elite Eight in 2002. Gates, however, never played college football. He got a tryout with the Chargers and the rest, they say, is history.
It seems the Bucs are trying to pull off a Gates move of sorts. Among the rookies given a tryout when rookie minicamp begins this afternoon is Brian Bridgewater from LSU.
Bridgewater, like Gates, played college hoops but never played college football. Per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, Bridgewater’s last year playing football was in high school where he was a wide receiver.
So just out of curiosity, Joe might have to keep an eye out for Bridgewater. Joe likes how Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is trying to go to a proven well of college basketball players turning into stud tight ends. And we all know how much Bucs coach Dirk Koetter loves tight ends.
However, already-long odds for Bridgewater, are incredibly long for him with the Bucs. Outside of linebacker, there may not be a deeper position on the team than tight end.
May 11th, 2018 at 5:48 am
I’d even put TE first right now.
May 11th, 2018 at 6:01 am
We might be the only team in football to carry 12 tight ends.
May 11th, 2018 at 6:48 am
You can never have enough TEs……RBs, WRs, LBs, CBs………they should give losing teams expanded rosters along with better draft picks….
May 11th, 2018 at 6:50 am
Harkens back to the day when USF basketball strong-man Hakeem Shahid (6-5, 235) tried out for the Bucs and first time he got tackled hard decided that this football thing really wasn’t for him….
May 11th, 2018 at 7:23 am
Add another former college basketball star who never played college football to the list-
Cornell Green was a 5 times All Pro and Super Bowl champion Defensive Back for the Dallas Cowboys in the 60’s and 70’s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Green_(defensive_back)
May 11th, 2018 at 7:43 am
I hope this guy makes it but what is lichts obsession with tight ends? I mean that pool he jumps into doesnt look big enough for those parties
May 11th, 2018 at 7:52 am
6’5” 282lbs that’s a big athletic body
May 11th, 2018 at 8:16 am
6-5 is a bit too big for an OLB in a 4-3 scheme, I’d rather try him out at DE.
May 11th, 2018 at 8:34 am
Who doesn’t love a good “tight end.”?
May 11th, 2018 at 9:14 am
Cross train him in de and wide receiver, at 6 5 and 285 no db could contest him in the flat
May 11th, 2018 at 9:34 am
I thought brate oj and cross were enough….rather see him along the dline….let buckner work with him…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
May 11th, 2018 at 9:47 am
Practice Squad! Develop him and use him for trade ” bait” in future drafts. Coach K & J.L. aren’t as dumb as some posters would lead you to believe!
May 11th, 2018 at 10:24 am
Please, dear Lord, may we never hear the phrase, ‘Dunkaneers’ ever again! Couldn’t help recalling the basketball reference from years gone by.
May 11th, 2018 at 10:43 am
Can he play RT? Asking for a friend.
All jokes aside I think Dallas is replacing whiten with a basketball crossover. Kid was really good until he got hurt.
I think Jimmy Graham played B.B. too.
May 11th, 2018 at 11:13 am
DB55 right on… licht needs a legit NFL ready RT yesterday
May 11th, 2018 at 2:31 pm
Groom as a swing tackle. Put him on practice squad.
May 11th, 2018 at 8:23 pm
One Buc, the article says “outside of linebacker” not “outside linebacker. Also GA, a practice squad player isn’t trade bait as other teams can pluck players off our practice squad for no compensation.