As further evidence the NFL leaves no agile, hulking stone unturned, we present Richard Ross, an Old Dominion basketball player and aspiring NFL tight end who hasn’t played a down of football since Week 1 of the 2009 Texas high school season.

“He told me his plan all along was to play college basketball and then go to the NFL,” said Ross’ agent, David Sullivan. “That’s like me saying my plan was to go to law school and then join the PGA Tour. Only this guy actually has the NFL’s attention.”

The Vikings were the first team to take notice of the crossover mismatch possibilities in the 6-5, 236-pounder. They were the only team keeping tabs on him as he was averaging 8.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game on a Monarchs team that made the NIT.

“Then we came up with a plan to have Richard show up at ODU’s pro day [on March 19],” Sullivan said. “That was our way of putting it out there that this is what he really wants to do.”

The Monarchs were still alive in the NIT, so Ross didn’t participate in the drills. He just did height, weight and a lot of head turning.

“Between 15 and 20 teams were there,” Sullivan said. “Richard got pulled aside by about half of them. They asked him who he was and tried to get him to work out. When you see him, you’ll know why.”

The Vikings aren’t the only team intrigued now. Since that pro day, the Vikings, Chargers, Redskins and Bengals have worked Ross out privately at ODU. Sullivan claims Ross has run the 40-yard dash in the “high 4.5s, 4.6.” San Diego, the team that turned Antonio Gates from a college basketball player into a potential Hall of Fame tight end, was the second team to take an interest in Ross.

Ross was born and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas. He somehow managed to grow up as a fan of the Cowboys and Vikings. Randy Moss remains his favorite player and the reason receiver was one of his many athletic endeavors at Wichita Falls Hirschi High School.

According to Ross, basketball might have been his fourth-best sport. Track and football were at the top, while baseball might have been third.

In track, Ross won the 2010 Class 3A state high jump with a height of 6-7, three inches below his personal best that year. He also finished third in the long jump and sixth as a member of the 800-meter relay team. He still owns the Region I-3A long jump record of 24-1 ¾.

As for football, Ross played his freshman and sophomore years before taking his junior season off to focus on basketball. He was undecided about football his senior year until the week before the season opener.

After just two practices, he caught three passes for three touchdowns.

“The first one was just a deep fly,” Ross said. “Caught it and showed my breakaway. The second one, we were on the 2- or 3-yard line and the quarterback just threw it up. Jumped up and caught that one. The third one was the game-tying touchdown from about 40 yards out.”

And that was it for football. Strangely, he quit midway through the next week and never played again.

“It was just a matter of re-evaluating my priorities and focusing on where I wanted to go at the college level,” Ross said. “The night after that game, Baylor and TCU offered me. But I wanted to play basketball in college.”

And now he wants to play football professionally. Common sense says he’s a college free agent, at best. Then maybe, with a ton of work and quality weight gain, he’ll scratch his way up through a practice squad. Just don’t bet on him actually playing.

Ross disagrees.

“I don’t think it’s going to take me as long to adjust to the NFL as people think,” Ross said. “You always have that chance if you’re willing to work for something. I’ve always been a workaholic.”

Sullivan doesn’t expect Ross to be drafted, but isn’t ruling it out either.

“This is going to sound crazy, and obviously I’m biased, but I think he’s going to play next year,” Sullivan said. “He can run, he can catch, he’s a great leaper, he’s got great hands. He’s faster than linebackers and way too big for DBs.

“I know that sounds like agent-speak. But I truly believe this guy is going to make it.”