With the 2016 NFL Draft starting up tomorrow all 32 teams are making their final preparations, hoping to find the right players to to propel them up the NFL power rankings next season. While most teams have their draft boards ready, they might have to make room for one more name as representatives from 24 teams have made a trip down to scout former Baylor basketball player Rico Gathers.
NFL teams often scout former college basketball players as tight ends because they are fast, can jump very high, and have great hands. The New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, and San Diego Chargers have had success converting former basketball players into tight ends.
Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates, and Julius Thomas are Pro-Bowl tight ends that other NFL teams are looking to follow the trend.
While he was at Baylor, Rico Gathers, a 6’7” 275 pound forward made the All-Big 12 team and was known as a rebounding machine. NFL teams are intrigued by his size and athleticism, which is why 24 teams will be sending reps to scout him on Monday.
At the pro day, Gathers will be expected to do the same workouts he would have done at the NFL Scouting Combine. Teams will measure him, he will take physical exams, he will do vertical and broad jumps, he will run the 40-yard dash, do shuttles and position drills.
Gathers has been training with Traction Sports Performance in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his trainer, Mack Chuilli believes he will have an impressive pro-day.
Chuilli said Gathers has the ability to be a great player in the NFL because of his size and skill set. Chuilli also added that Gathers’ size, speed, strength, and hands impressed him when they were training.
NFL teams aren’t the only ones that are interested in Gathers. At Baylor, Art Briles, the school’s football coach, tried to get Gathers to join the team in his final season of eligibility but was unsuccessful because Gathers decided to give the NFL a shot instead. Since he hasn’t played football since he was in high school, Gathers has spent the last three weeks participating in a football training crash course.
Since Gathers is considered raw and more of a prospect, he isn’t expected to be drafted until the 6th or 7th round, and he could also go undrafted. Even if he is undrafted, he isn’t expected to be unemployed for too long because NFL teams are salivating about the possibility that he could become the next great tight end in the league.
Chuilli said that Gathers understands that he still has a lot of work to do before he can make a significant contribution on the field, which is why Chuilli brought in a lot of people to show him how to play the position.
Former NFL players Ryan Clark has been working with Gathers, helping him with his technique. Tight end coach Art Valero has also been working with Gathers and has been showing him how to run routes.
The little training he has received seem to be working because Dallas Cowboys tight end coach Mike Pope recently worked him out and was impressed by what he saw.
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