From Hardwood to Gridiron in 2009

Matt Hayes - SportingNews.com

Tony Gonzalez may be the best tight end to ever play in the NFL. Antonio Gates has been to the Pro Bowl. Julius Peppers was once the most dominant pass rusher in the game.

And all three were college basketball stars.

Some current college football players have made the same transition:

Greg Paulus, QB, Syracuse

Then: Only Bobby Hurley and Jason Williams had more assists as Duke freshmen than Paulus, who finished his four-year Blue Devils career with 468.

Now: His completion rate -- 63.9 percent -- would be impressive for an experienced senior, much less a guy who hadn't read a defense or taken a hit since his high school days, but he has thrown more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (8).

Syracuse offensive coordinator Rob Spence says: "Being a point guard for Duke, at that high level of competition, I don't think there's any doubt it helped his transition of dealing with pressure with this sport. He's a leader. He likes the game in his hands."

Kelvin Grady, WR, Michigan

Then: A point guard for the Wolverines as a sophomore last season, Grady played double-digit minutes only twice in the final 12 games of 2008-09, and he was set to transfer before brother Kevin, a tailback on the football team, talked him into switching sports.

Now: It took two weeks for Grady to move from fourth on the depth chart at the slot position to running with the first team. He caught eight passes in the first five games.

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez says: "Kelvin is very coachable, and with players making a transition from one sport to another, that's a big key. The quick change-of-direction skills in basketball translate somewhat to the wide receiver position ."

Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami

Then: Graham wasn't much of a scorer during his four-year career as a forward for the Hurricanes (he averaged 4.2 points), but he ranks eighth in Miami history with 104 career blocks.

Now: At 6-8, 260, he's an imposing target in Miami's pro-style offense, and he can outrun most linebackers. The biggest surprise: a tenacious attitude about blocking. He has three catches -- all TDs -- for 39 yards this season.

Miami tight ends coach Joe Pannunzio says: "I watched him play basketball, and of course you think to yourself, I wonder if he'd be interested in football. It's some of the same skill set in many ways ."

Fendi Onobun, TE, Houston

Then: In four years at Arizona, he never really fit into the team's philosophy. A 'tweener of sorts, he averaged 1.8 points in 81 games.

Now: The Cougars rarely use tight ends in their spread offense, and when they do, it's usually in goal-line or short-yardage sets. At 6-6, 250, Onobun has an NFL body, but he won't get on the field much until he learns the position.

Houston tight ends coach Tony Levine says: "In our first position meeting, I said, 'Fendi, tight end is an easy position to learn because you're always on the line of scrimmage.' He says to me, 'What's a line of scrimmage?' He has made remarkable progress since he has been here."

Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.

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