WACO - Stop me if you've heard this story before: A Baylor basketball standout decides that, instead of hoops, football is the best way for him to make it as a professional athlete. So, he transitions to tight end in hopes of going to the NFL.

Sounds familiar, right? Only this time, instead of Rico Gathers, it's Ishmail Wainright giving it a go on the grid iron.

Much like Gathers, now a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Wainright had a stellar career with the Bears in basketball, leading them to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and being named an All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2017 as a senior.

But after his senior year, he decided to pursue what he describes as his first dream: Football.

It's not really like high school, though, where the best athlete in school can probably compete in any sport. Wainright, who participated in Baylor's pro day on Monday in front of scouts from the Broncos, Lions, Raiders, Packers, Patriots, Browns, 49ers and Steelers, struggled to learn the new terminology and the weight he added to his body.

"He said it's like speaking a foreign language at first," head basketball coach Scott Drew said over the phone.

But unlike Gathers, who went directly to the NFL draft from the hardwood, Wainright got that time on the football team. Head coach Matt Rhule, who used to coach tight ends at Temple before taking the head job, worked with the 6-foot-5 super senior on his blocking and ball skills.

Unfortunately, a bout of mono knocked Wainright out of practice for a large chunk of the season. Still, he managed to play in nine games and start three while collecting four receptions for 34 yards and two touchdowns.

"I have some film. Some guys went straight up from basketball to football with no film," Wainright explained. "They see that I'm able to block. They see that I'm able to catch. Speed is almost there but it's not where I want to be."

Wainright wasn't thrilled with his performance at pro day. He said he wishes he could get another chance at the 40-yard dash and the three-cone drill.

The scouts did praise his pass-catching, though. And Drew knows that the personable Wainright will ace any interview with a team, given that opportunity. Plus, he sees an intangible attribute that Wainright and Gathers share.

"Both of them tough guys. Ball's on the floor, they're going to come up with it," Drew said. "Physically, they're just both emposing."

Wainright and Gathers don't speak frequently. Wainright tries not to bug the Cowboy too often given his simultaneous football and music careers. But the elder Bear did have some advice for the man trying to follow in his footsteps.

"Just stay focused. Chase your dreams," Wainright relayed.

With his wife and mother taking pictures of him in the media scrum, Wainright said he is all-in on football, with no thought of giving hoops another chance if this doesn't work out. Outside of shooting some free throws a couple of weeks ago, he can't remember the last time he even touched a basketball.

He hasn't had the chance to talk with any NFL teams yet, but if he does he knows how he will sell himself.

"I feel like I work harder than the next guy. I have a basketball background, which can be more athletic than [a] football background," Wainright said before adding for emphasis, "And I work harder than the next guy."

He'll have to wait a month to know if that means he'll be the next Baylor basketball alum to play in the NFL.

Briefly: Baylor linebacker Taylor Young was a limited participant on Monday due to tear in his right quad. He skipped the broad jump and 40-yard dash but was able to do the three-cone drill and position-specific activities, albeit with a slight limp. ... Among the other participants were quarterback Anu Solomon, safety Chance Waz, defensive lineman Brian Nance and offensive lineman Ishmael Wilson.