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From High School to the NFL?
Posted on 7/12/09 at 6:03 pm
Posted on 7/12/09 at 6:03 pm
I recently read an ESPN article about how Lebron James was not only a phenom of a BBall player, but also was such a stellar WR as a sophomore (he gave up HS football after 2 years to focus on BBall) that he was already getting attention from the likes of Notre Dame and OSU. Someone in the article (his HS coach I think) said that if he hadn't decided to go early to the NBA, that he had the physical talent to go straight to the NFL.
First thing that popped in my head was WTF?!?! No way an 18 yr old would be ready for the NFL. I don;t care who he is...
But then I started thinking about it. Lebron is a physical freak...maybe if he wanted to play football...maybe he could have pulled it off.
Maybe there are others. Every year there are RS Sophomores that leave college early for the NFL. Some don't even play a great deal of college football (like RJF?). They're all just 3 years removed from HS, maybe a handful could make it?
Think it's possible? Or a better question, should/could the NFL entertain this possibility?
First thing that popped in my head was WTF?!?! No way an 18 yr old would be ready for the NFL. I don;t care who he is...
But then I started thinking about it. Lebron is a physical freak...maybe if he wanted to play football...maybe he could have pulled it off.
Maybe there are others. Every year there are RS Sophomores that leave college early for the NFL. Some don't even play a great deal of college football (like RJF?). They're all just 3 years removed from HS, maybe a handful could make it?
Think it's possible? Or a better question, should/could the NFL entertain this possibility?
4
Posted on 7/12/09 at 6:14 pm to ZereauxSum
Didn't Eric Swan indirectly go from HS to the pros?
Posted on 7/12/09 at 6:22 pm to LSUFreek
quote:
Didn't Eric Swan indirectly go from HS to the pros?
Had to look that one up! He actually played for a semi-pro team for a couple of years before being drafted (wikipedia).
I think that it happened every now and then in the 60's (maybe 70's?), but don't think that it has happened in the modern era (last 20 years or so)
Posted on 7/12/09 at 6:22 pm to LSUFreek
quote:
Didn't Eric Swan indirectly go from HS to the pros?
nah, he was playing in a semi-pro league and working construction when he got drafted, but I think he was out of HS for three years by then. Amobi Okoye graduated from Louisville at like 19 years old and got drafted by the Texans, but he had been playing college football since he was 16 so he was physically ready at 19 to play in the NFL.
Posted on 7/12/09 at 6:41 pm to ZereauxSum
quote:
First thing that popped in my head was WTF?!?! No way an 18 yr old would be ready for the NFL. I don;t care who he is...
I generally agree with this statement, and I doubt that anyone will try to go straight from high school to the NFL in the near future. However, I think there are a few guys who could make the jump after one year in college. Now I don't know if Julio was 18 years old as a freshman, or if he was one of those 20-year old freshman like Jimmy Clausen, but I think he's more NFL ready than some guys who were picked in the first round last year.
Posted on 7/12/09 at 7:37 pm to Keys Open Doors
quote:
Now I don't know if Julio was 18 years old as a freshman, or if he was one of those 20-year old freshman like Jimmy Clausen, but I think he's more NFL ready than some guys who were picked in the first round last year.
Good point. Looking at the the last two 1st round WR's taken last year, he is definitely AT LEAST as physically gifted as they are (Hakeem Nicks and Kenny Britt). So that's probably not a stretch.
I guess it's just s prejudice in my mind. I've always been OK with HS-pro jumps in basketball (and I think it's stupid that they're forcing these guys to do a year in college now). For some reason football is different in my mind, maybe because of the violent nature of the sport, I dunno.
Posted on 7/12/09 at 8:07 pm to ZereauxSum
I think Adriane Peterson could have went straight to the NFL and ran the ball 13 times a game.
Posted on 7/12/09 at 8:22 pm to ZereauxSum
Based on measurables alone, plenty of HS kids physically have the tools to jump to the NFL each year, but to grasp the pro game straight out of high school would be a flat-out miracle.
Example:
Just looking at one LSU class, there are a few guys with measurables that are similiar to or better than some pros that have been drafted by the 7th round:
Akiem Hicks DT 6-6 300 4.89
Chris Faulk OL 6-6 310 4.9
Chris Davenport DT 6-4 318 5.27
Craig Loston S 6-2 193 4.4
Reuben Randle WR WR 6-3 195 4.4
Now, as far as measubles and raw ability goes though, the one HS guy that really comes to mind is Ryan Mallett straight out of Texarkana.
6-6, 235, 4.85 speed and a stronger arm than 29 of the current starting QB's. But it reamins to be seen if he can even grasp the college game.
Example:
Just looking at one LSU class, there are a few guys with measurables that are similiar to or better than some pros that have been drafted by the 7th round:
Akiem Hicks DT 6-6 300 4.89
Chris Faulk OL 6-6 310 4.9
Chris Davenport DT 6-4 318 5.27
Craig Loston S 6-2 193 4.4
Reuben Randle WR WR 6-3 195 4.4
Now, as far as measubles and raw ability goes though, the one HS guy that really comes to mind is Ryan Mallett straight out of Texarkana.
6-6, 235, 4.85 speed and a stronger arm than 29 of the current starting QB's. But it reamins to be seen if he can even grasp the college game.
Posted on 7/12/09 at 8:33 pm to ADAMATDAPARTY
quote:
I think Adriane Peterson could have went straight to the NFL and ran the ball 13 times a game.
this
Posted on 7/12/09 at 8:42 pm to LSUFreek
I will still say there are a handful and even then a handful might be too much.
I would say there are maybe 3 or 4 that have ever been able to do it well.
The major factor is what position a player is going to play.
RB and MAYBE WR are the only positions that any highschooler could ever go directly to the pros.
WR is more of a stretch due to the technical aspects of running routes, but physically, I think they could probably do it. It may take a year or 2 of playing in the pros for them to learn technical skills, but they could at least make the team.
RB is the obvious choice as it is the easiest transition.
Adrian Peterson is the only guy that comes to mind.
Maybe Hershel Walker as well.
At WR, Dez Bryant was about as impressive in high school as I have ever seen, but physically he needed a couple years of college to get his body to where it is at now.
No other position can do it IMO. S. Henderson is physically a beast, but doesn't have the muscle mass yet or the technical skills to play OL.
I would say there are maybe 3 or 4 that have ever been able to do it well.
The major factor is what position a player is going to play.
RB and MAYBE WR are the only positions that any highschooler could ever go directly to the pros.
WR is more of a stretch due to the technical aspects of running routes, but physically, I think they could probably do it. It may take a year or 2 of playing in the pros for them to learn technical skills, but they could at least make the team.
RB is the obvious choice as it is the easiest transition.
Adrian Peterson is the only guy that comes to mind.
Maybe Hershel Walker as well.
At WR, Dez Bryant was about as impressive in high school as I have ever seen, but physically he needed a couple years of college to get his body to where it is at now.
No other position can do it IMO. S. Henderson is physically a beast, but doesn't have the muscle mass yet or the technical skills to play OL.
Posted on 7/12/09 at 9:21 pm to lynxcat
Yeah but was'nt Lebron 28 yrs old coming out of high school ??? If not, he sure looked perty damn old ....
Posted on 7/12/09 at 10:12 pm to lsulee
Earl Campbell could have done it, for sure.
Posted on 7/12/09 at 10:13 pm to lsulee
if any recent kid could have gone straight to the pros, adrian peterson could have
i agree with lynx- that only a RB would be able to make the transition without college. obviously, it take an extremely advanced physical speciman to pull if off- like a AD or LBJ- but dont think LBJ could have made much of an impact at WR b/c of the intracacies of the position and the wide gap between high school and pro ball
i agree with lynx- that only a RB would be able to make the transition without college. obviously, it take an extremely advanced physical speciman to pull if off- like a AD or LBJ- but dont think LBJ could have made much of an impact at WR b/c of the intracacies of the position and the wide gap between high school and pro ball
Posted on 7/12/09 at 11:40 pm to Angry LLAMA
Could eric berry have done it?
I think PP could have done it, he could have played something other than cb if need be.
It doesnt mean theyd start, does it, maybe atleast make the practice squad?
I think PP could have done it, he could have played something other than cb if need be.
It doesnt mean theyd start, does it, maybe atleast make the practice squad?
Posted on 7/13/09 at 12:40 am to Tiger4
quote:
I recently read an ESPN article about how Lebron James was not only a phenom of a BBall player, but also was such a stellar WR as a sophomore (he gave up HS football after 2 years to focus on BBall) that he was already getting attention from the likes of Notre Dame and OSU. Someone in the article (his HS coach I think) said that if he hadn't decided to go early to the NBA, that he had the physical talent to go straight to the NFL.
Watched L.J. play in high school and really didn't think there was a decision to what sport he was gonna play.
This post was edited on 7/13/09 at 1:11 am
Posted on 7/13/09 at 1:11 am to GeauxTigrs1
Lebron would have been one of the biggest WR in the NFL as a Rookie. I would have to believe he would be gifted enough to completely own the endzone in a jump ball situation.
He would of course grow into a 6'8 260lb beast of a WR/TE by his second and third year. He would probably lead the league in TDs very quickly. He would make Moss and Owens look like garbage after a little work on route running.
He would of course grow into a 6'8 260lb beast of a WR/TE by his second and third year. He would probably lead the league in TDs very quickly. He would make Moss and Owens look like garbage after a little work on route running.
Posted on 7/13/09 at 1:21 am to ZereauxSum
Fwiw when Peterson came out the houston chronicle asked a unnamed scout about him and they said he was the first person hed ever seen who couldve made the direct jump, they said his body was developed enough to handle it
Posted on 7/13/09 at 4:33 am to spttps821
I think there are some guys that play running back, receiver in college that could jump to the pros as a corner, or at least be worth drafting.
Posted on 7/13/09 at 6:51 am to 1bigcat
I feel like Lebron would be able to skip a lot of the route running camps. Just throw the ball up in the air, and NO ONE in the NFL is coming down with it. Literally just lob it up in his direction and he will bring it down.
I agree that he wouldn't know a lot of the blocking tech. etc. to play on running plays, but he's so much bigger than the CBs he'd be going against I don't think it would take too much.
I agree that he wouldn't know a lot of the blocking tech. etc. to play on running plays, but he's so much bigger than the CBs he'd be going against I don't think it would take too much.
Posted on 7/13/09 at 7:30 am to spttps821
I remember reading something similar about Brandon Jacobs when he was in high school. Physically, at least, he has to be in the conversation.
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