Nick Marshall Shifts from QB to CB in 2015 NFL Draft

After two strong seasons at quarterback for the Auburn Tigers, Nick Marshall has decided to move to cornerback in order to better his odds of reaching the NFL.

Brandon Marcello of AL.com first reported the news:

Marshall helped lead Auburn to the national championship game in 2014 with over 3,000 total yards and 26 touchdowns. He was a true dual-threat this past season as well to the tune of better than 3,000 total yards and 31 scores.

While Marshall's skill set was great within the Tigers offense, it doesn't appear to be a logical fit at the NFL level.  

Bleacher Report NFL analysts Matt Miller and Matt Bowen discuss Marshall's transition in the video below:

According to Alex Byington of The Opelika-Auburn News, that is a conclusion Marshall and his family apparently reached together:

Senior Bowl Executive Director Phil Savage is among those who felt as though Marshall's best chance at getting drafted was to switch positions, per Marcello.

"

Nick Marshall is a player that has been on our radar all season and I had basically indicated to the Auburn staff and his representation after the bowl game that, look, if he wants to play defensive back we will take him yesterday because, in my opinion, taking the Senior Bowl hat off and putting the NFL hat on, if he goes to defensive back he probably opens up the opportunity for 32 teams. If he stays at quarterback it will limit the number of teams that will really have a sincere interest in him. It's just my own take on it coming into the week, so we'll see if he can increase that.

"

That is ultimately what Marshall decided to do, and it could turn out to be the smartest career move possible.

Another thing that was working against Marshall as a quarterback was his size. Now that he is a defensive back, however, that is no longer an issue. Marcello provided his measurements, courtesy of the Senior Bowl:

It is unclear how comfortable Marshall will be at cornerback, especially against NFL-caliber wide receivers, but it is a chance he absolutely had to take.

One can only assume that a team will take a chance on him in the draft due to his elite athleticism. If nothing else, that means he will have an opportunity to make a roster, which is something he may not have been afforded as a quarterback.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.