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Seahawks sign ex-Baylor basketball starter Mark Vital to practice squad

Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Mark Vital, who won a national championship with the Baylor basketball team in April, is now a member of the Seattle Seahawks practice squad, the Seahawks announced.

The Seahawks announced the signing Thursday. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound former guard/forward will play tight end. He last played football in middle school. Vital worked out for several NFL teams this off-season.

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"Thank you basketball, you gave me everything and created opportunities for me," Vital tweeted Monday. "Time for a new chapter."

Vital averaged 5-6 points and 6.7 rebounds at Baylor. He was a finalist for Naismith defensive Player of the Year in each of the last two seasons.

Vital was a third-team All-Big 12 selection in 2020 and a three-time Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection. He started 105 games during his four-year tenure at Baylor.

He was not selected in the 2021 NBA Draft, but played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Summer League. Vital announced last month that he planned to pursue a football career.

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"We all have different paths and different journeys," Vital said in a video posted to social media. "My path has run through the game of basketball. ... I will always be in love with the game of basketball, but my path is taking me somewhere else."

The Seahawks' 53-man roster features tight ends Gerald Everett, Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson. Tyler Mabry is the other tight end on the team's practice squad.

"Let's go," Baylor coach Scott Drew tweeted Monday. "Mark Vital ⁩will get it done! He always has and this will be the same. See you on Sundays."

The Seahawks face the Indianapolis Colts in their season opener at 1 p.m. EDT Sept. 12 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

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