Everyone Loves Jimmy Graham
So, how 'bout Jimmy Graham, Dolphins?
By JANIE CAMPBELL
Updated 8:15 AM EDT, Fri, Jan 29, 2010
A Senior Bowl appearance may not be helping Tim Tebow, but it sure is boosting Hurricanes basketball player-turned-tight end Jimmy Graham's draft stock. Consider this from NFL.com's Bucky Brooks:
His exceptional athleticism and movement skills has scouts salivating over his potential. Graham's ability to get down the seam and make acrobatic catches in a crowd makes him an instant weapon over the middle of the field and in the red zone. Given the importance of having a difference-maker in those areas, it is not surprising that Graham is creating a strong buzz in front offices throughout the league.
Or the verdict from NFLDraftScout's Chad Reuter:
[Graham] had a phenomenal practice today, looking extremely fluid as a runner and catching everything in sight. The former 'Canes basketball player left safeties and linebackers without a clue on where or when his cut would come; the out routes and square-ins were equally crisp and strong. That sort of route-running ability for a one-year contributor, and at 6-7, 258 pounds, is rare. Watch for his name to climb up boards all the way to the draft.
Pretty good hype for any NFL prospect, but especially impressive considering Jimmy Graham has played only one season of football since the 9th grade and barely knows how to block. Reps from every NFL team have met with him so far -- "I guess since I’m like the new guy in town, everyone wants to know about me," he says -- and a one-on-one interview was scheduled with Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland for later in the week.
And why not? He may be raw, but Graham could be the perfect steal for the Dolphins. Anthony Fasano is a restricted free agent in March, Joey Haynos wasn't exactly going gangbusters out there, and John Nalbone has already been relegated to the practice squad. Graham is mostly upside, but with an upside that says "next Antonio Gates," he's well worth a mid-round risk.
The Dolphins, of course, have been onto him, with Bill Parcells catching a Miami practice and Tony Sparano spending a week with Graham coaching in the Senior Bowl. Short of tethering him to Gates until he retires, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better situation out there for Graham than Miami: Parcells would field an all-tight end squad if he could, and Tony Sparano cut his teeth on them.
In other words, it'd be like Jimmy Has Two Daddies, if the dads were angry, exacting taskmasters who'd turn their boy into a hard-blocking red zone terror. And who doesn't like the sound of that?
Janie Campbell thinks Jimmy Graham's hair has come a long way, too. Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the Internet.
First Published: Jan 29, 2010 8:00 AM EDT
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
