Mark Vital
No. 80 – Kansas City Chiefs | |
---|---|
Position: | Tight end |
Personal information | |
Born: | Lake Charles, Louisiana | November 7, 1996
Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
Weight: | 250 lb (113 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Advanced Prep International (Dallas, Texas) |
College: | Baylor |
Career history | |
| |
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Roster status: | Practice squad |
Mark Vital Jr. (born November 7, 1996) is an American football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college basketball at Baylor University before transitioning to football after leaving the program.
Early life and high school career[]
Vital was labeled "middle school basketball's most impressive dunker" by Yahoo Sports in June 2012.[1] He gave up football to focus on basketball in eighth grade.[2] Vital began high school at Washington-Marion Magnet High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana. As a sophomore, he averaged 16.5 points per game and was a Class 4A All-State selection.[3] For his final two years, Vital transferred to Advanced Preparatory International in Dallas, Texas, where he played alongside Terrance Ferguson.[2] He competed for Southern Elite on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit.[4] Vital committed to play college basketball for Baylor after his sophomore year of high school.[5] At the end of his high school career, he was a four-star recruit and was considered the top player from Louisiana in the 2016 class by 247Sports.[6]
College career[]
Vital redshirted his first season at Baylor. While sitting out, he was a member of the practice squad and developed his offense by playing against Johnathan Motley and Ishmail Wainright.[7] As a redshirt freshman, Vital averaged 6.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.[8] On March 23, 2019, he recorded a career-high 17 points and eight rebounds in an 83–71 loss to first-seeded Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament second round.[9] As a sophomore, Vital averaged 7.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and one steal per game, leading his team in rebounds and steals, and was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.[10] On February 8, 2020, Vital scored a junior season-high 13 points in a 78–70 win against Oklahoma State.[11] In his junior season, he helped Baylor become one of the best defensive teams in the nation.[8] He averaged 6.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, earning Third Team All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors. He was one of four finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.[12] As a senior, Vital averaged 5.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, helping Baylor capture the national championship.[13]
Professional basketball career[]
After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Vital signed with the Portland Trail Blazers for NBA Summer League.[14]
Professional football career[]
Seattle Seahawks[]
After revealing he was planning on making the transition to football, on September 2, 2021, Vital signed with the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.[15] He was released on September 7.[16]
Kansas City Chiefs[]
Vital signed with the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad on September 13, 2021.[17]
Career statistics[]
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College[]
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016–17 | Baylor | |||||||||||
2017–18 | Baylor | 33 | 18 | 23.8 | .481 | .100 | .505 | 5.6 | 2.2 | .8 | .6 | 6.7 |
2018–19 | Baylor | 34 | 34 | 27.7 | .464 | .182 | .529 | 7.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .9 | 7.2 |
2019–20 | Baylor | 29 | 24 | 26.1 | .459 | .118 | .418 | 6.2 | 1.8 | 1.7 | .6 | 6.1 |
2020–21 | Baylor | 30 | 30 | 23.4 | .483 | .000 | .500 | 6.7 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .9 | 5.6 |
Career | 126 | 106 | 25.3 | .471 | .127 | .496 | 6.4 | 1.8 | 1.1 | .8 | 6.4 |
References[]
- ^ Smith, Cameron (June 7, 2012). "Meet Mark Vital: Middle School basketball's most impressive dunker". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ a b Werner, John (January 21, 2018). "YouTube sensation Vital giving Bears energy boost". Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ "Washington Marion's Mark Vital Named to Max Preps Sophomore All-American Team". KPLC. April 19, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Lopez, Andrew (July 17, 2013). "Washington-Marion forward Mark Vital more than 'just a dunker'". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ "Baylor men's hoops receives pledge from Louisiana sophomore". Waco Tribune-Herald. September 4, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Rose, Shanna (October 30, 2019). "Big 12 2019-20 Preview: Baylor Bears". Blue Gold Sports. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Hill, Jerry (March 8, 2018). "Vital Not Defined By His Dunks". Baylor University Athletics. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Werner, John (February 20, 2020). "High-flying Vital enjoys doing the dirty work for No. 1 Baylor men". Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ Watkins, Tim (March 23, 2019). "Bears Fall to Gonzaga behind Clarke's 35". 247Sports. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ Davis, Seth (March 2, 2020). "He's tough, mean and sticky: Baylor's Vital leads the 21st annual All-Glue team". The Athletic. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "No. 1 Baylor 78–70 over Oklahoma State for 20th win in row". ESPN. Associated Press. February 8, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "MBB's Vital Named Naismith Defensive POY Finalist". Baylor University Athletics. March 23, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ Quillin, Kurtis (May 4, 2021). "Baylor's Mark Vital signs with agency founded by Lil' Wayne". KCEN. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ Dewald, Steve (July 30, 2021). "Baylor's Mark Vital to Join Blazers for Summer League". Blazer's Edge. SB Nation. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ Coleman, Madeline. "Seahawks Sign NCAA Men's Basketball Champ to Practice Squad". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
- ^ Boyle, John (September 7, 2021). "Seahawks Place Three On Injured Reserve; Add Blessuan Austin, Penny Hart & John Reid To 53-Man Roster". Seahawks.com.
- ^ "Former Baylor Bears basketball player signs with the Kansas City Chiefs". Fox4KC.com.
External links[]
- 1996 births
- Living people
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball players at the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Final Four
- Basketball players from Louisiana
- Baylor Bears basketball players
- Small forwards
- Sportspeople from Lake Charles, Louisiana
- Players of American football from Louisiana
- American football tight ends
- Seattle Seahawks players
- Kansas City Chiefs players