Jimmy Graham's basketball scholarship to Miami worked out pretty well. His one year of eligibility as a college tight end could work out for the next ten years of his life: Graham is making a case for the NFL Draft -- a good one.
Sure, there's a lack of experience; after all, he's only been playing football for a few months for the first time since 9th grade. But Graham is learning quickly, and improving in leaps and bounds: compare his two crucial, drive-killing drops early in the third quarter at Virginia Tech, just Graham's third game, and his stellar performance on Saturday against Duke when the teetering Canes looked to Graham four times on third downs and four times received first downs. His fifth catch on the day came on a 2nd-and-11 situation, also producing a first down.
He's now tied for most touchdowns on the team with five (and has learned how to properly celebrate one after his former basketball teammates roundly -- and good-naturedly -- laughed at his awkward September efforts on Twitter).
In other words, he's become a go-to guy on a team with a top-tier receiving corps in a matter of weeks. Add what will be a good combine workout -- Graham is 6-8, 260 with a 40-inch vertical leap -- and there will be a lot of teams willing to take on such a promising project.
"He could be really good. He could be exceptional," Randy Shannon said. "For the long haul, he's got a big future. He's still learning."
Though Graham's basketball "detour" is what it is, the timing of his coming out at tight end is perfect. The position's getting more work in the NFL now than ever before, becoming indispensible beating zone defenses on size mismatches, stretching the field, and serving as safe, quick outlets for young quarterbacks. It's become a crucial, star-making job; in fact, 10 of the top 50 receivers in the NFL are tight ends, including fellow basketball converts Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates.
Graham shares the same size, blocking ability, and hands.
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And, he says, he's willing to work at it. "I've come to find out that I have a God-given talent and I feel like with those two combinations, maybe I can be a good player," he said on Saturday. "The transition's already been done before. Hopefully somebody will give me a chance and I'll be able to show them the athletic ability that I have."
May we suggest the Dolphins? Most Sundays, it's hard to imagine that inserting Graham wouldn't be just as effective as what's currently going on there.
Janie Campbell thinks Jimmy Graham's hair has come a long way, too. Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the Internet.
