After winning a national championship with the Baylor men’s basketball team, Mark Vital is heading to the pros — in a different sport.

On Thursday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Vital has signed with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks to join their practice squad, which is an interesting development. That’s because Vital never played football at Baylor and hasn’t even put on the pads in a competitive setting since eighth grade.

Still, Vital is 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, so perhaps he could be the next former basketball standout to have success as an NFL tight end. It’s the same path that others such as Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham, Mo Alie-Cox and more have taken over the years.

Vital played in 126 games and made 106 starts over his four seasons playing basketball at Baylor. He averaged 5.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 30 games for the Bears during the 2020-21 campaign, helping them make a run to the program’s first national title.

After not getting taken in the 2021 NBA Draft, Vital joined the Portland Trail Blazers to participate in the NBA Summer League. Now, the 24-year-old is embarking on a much different journey.

Will it be a successful venture? We may not know for a while. However, it’s a low-risk move for the Seahawks to add a strong athlete to their practice squad, as they could potentially reap the rewards later if Vital ends up impressing.