Could LeBron James Play Tight End in the NFL – Part 3

In Parts 1 and 2, I looked at whether or not basketball superstar LeBron James could make it in the NFL as a tight end. I concluded that he definitely had the size to mix it up with the giants of the league. I was less sure if he could handle the physical pounding that come with catching 80 balls a season.

In Part 3, I’ll try to figure out if he would have the physical skills to make it as a tight end in the NFL. I’ll look at two key attributes for an NFL tight end: speed and vertical leap.

How Fast Can He Run?

Tight end isn’t a position that’s totally dependent on speed (like, say, cornerback or wide receiver). But a good NFL tight end does need to create separation from line backers and safeties.

The standard measure of speed in the NFL is the 40 yard dash. Here are the leading 40-yard dash results for tight ends who worked out at last year’s NFL “Scouting Combine”:

• James Hanna, Oklahoma: 4.49 seconds
• Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette: 4.53 seconds
• Evan Rodriguez, Temple: 4.58 seconds
• Michael Egnew, Missouri: 4.62 seconds
• Drake Dunsmore, Northwestern: 4.64 seconds

Would LeBron have 4.5s 40 yard speed? Unlikely – simply because that would have put him as the fastest tight end prospect in the country. Could he clock a 4.6? As far as I know, he’s never been tested, but he certainly looks extremely fast on a basketball court.

My suspicion is that LeBron would run around a 4.7s 40 yard dash. This obviously isn’t upper-echelon tight end speed, but his size (6ft 8in, 250lb) and vertical leap (see below) would mean he’d create match-up problems all over the field.

How High Can He Jump?

What the 40 yard dash is for speed, the “vertical leap” is for judging how high sportsmen can jump. Wikipedia defines it as:

“A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one’s centre of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one’s own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground (jump) from a standstill.”

LeBron possesses a 44in vertical leap. Let’s put that in context with NFL players.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, the all-time record is 46in, set by Gerald Sensabaugh, a defensive back out of North Carolina. The record among active NFL players is held by wide receiver Randy Moss, who jumped 51in.

To put it mildly, LeBron (as you’d imagine) would have no problem jumping with the best of them. Added to his 6ft 8in height, his 44in vertical leap would make him almost uncoverable.

For what it’s worth, the best ever vertical leap in the NBA was set by none other than Michael Jordan, at 48in.

In the final part of this series, I’ll look at whether or not LeBron James would have the ball skills and coordination to make it in the NFL.