Ibekwe Thinks Transition is Worth It
by Bob Holtzman, Daily Breeze
April 29, 2006 Onye Ibekwe might have lost a few inches in the transition but he thinks it's going to be worth it.
The Long Beach State power forward hopes to be the next college basketball player that transitions to professional football, joining the likes of All-Pro tight ends Antonio Gates (Kent State) and Tony Gonzalez (California).
The older brother of Maryland forward Ekene Ibekwe (Carson High), UCLA forward Chinyere Ibekwe (Carson) and Ify Ibekwe (Narbonne) last played football his first two years of high school at Manual Arts before he transferred to Crenshaw and concentrated on basketball.
"Ever since I've been focusing on basketball, I've been hearing, 'He's got a football body,' but it always went in one ear and out the other," Ibekwe said. "But recently, I started to pay attention to the success of an Antonio Gates and took it into consideration."
Ibekwe hired Long Beach attorney Everett Glenn as representation and Glenn immediately put Ibekwe to work with Compton College wide receivers coach John Rome. The coach has drilled Ibekwe on the mental and physical aspects of the game and recently helped him work out for several NFL teams at El Camino College. It was there that Ibekwe learned he had shrunk from a listed 6-foot-8 on his Long Beach State biography to 6-5 and 256 pounds.
"Well, you know basketball players try to get every inch," Ibekwe admitted. "Basketball players are always measured with shoes on because you try to get the maximum you can get as far as basketball. But I'll admit, I never knew I was 6-5. I thought at least 6-6, probably 6-7. But now, it doesn't matter because 6-5 is good for the tight end position."
Basketball might have been invented as a training tool for football players but it wasn't until recently that NFL scouts started scouring college basketball gymnasiums for potential players. Now, it seems the NFL can't get enough of the idea. George Mason power forward Jai Lewis and Connecticut's Ed Nelson are both looking to make the move along with Ibekwe.
"If there's one tight end that's done this before, who's to say there aren't more out there that can fit this role?" Baltimore tight end coach Wade Harman said.
That's what Glenn and Ibekwe are hoping for in this weekend's NFL draft. Ibekwe said he's heard he could be drafted between the fourth and seventh rounds on Sunday.
But even if he's not drafted, he should receive an invitation to an NFL camp. He graded well in the drills during workouts and Rome thinks teams see talent worth mining.
"He's a natural in terms of his ability to catch the ball," Rome said. "And I'm not saying that every guy can make the transition but (power forwards) have all of the little things they need to be successful at a tight end position. They're big, fast and they can run and are usually pretty physical."
Glenn said he believes Ibekwe has the talent to make the transition but knows there's going to be one deciding factor on whether it's going to work.
"The first time somebody hits him in his face, what's he going to do?" Glenn said.
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