Warren Sapp says “pretty boy” LeBron not built for NFL

Could LeBron James make it in the NFL?

It’s a moot question, but thanks to this interminable lockout we have time to dwell on moot questions. Pete Carroll told him to come try out and James did practice with a high school team.

LeBron is certainly athletic enough to be a tight end in the NFL — have the quarterback throw high at the back of the end zone and LeBron will get balls nobody else will. But, could he handle the contact? Could he get that tall frame down low and create leverage to block?

Warren Sapp doesn’t think so. As part of the NFL Network’s “No Huddle” show Sapp fell back on the Jordan rip on LeBron, reports the USA Today (via SLAM).

“How about LeBron do one-sixth of what (Michael) Jordan did, let’s see him go win a championship,” Sapp said. “Go do that. Go see if you can conquer your sport before you come over here because them boys on defense, we like pretty boys like that. We want to split them.”

Jalen Rose gave a better football analysis but basically agrees — James wouldn’t want the contact.

“The one thing about football -- you can go up for the football -- I don’t think his feet’ll hit the ground on the way down because they will take him out. I think that game is too physical, I think it’s too demanding, I think that it’s hard to block defensive ends -- it’s more to that job of being a tight end than just running routes.”

Former Saints coach Jim Mora points out one reason defensive backs would like to play against LeBron — fewer fines.

“I know one thing, it’d be hard to get a hit to the head on him.”