Kiper Pegs Denard Robinson as WR:10 College Football QBs Who Could Move Position

According to a tweet by Dave Birkett from the Detroit Free Press, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has intimated that Michigan’s Denard Robinson is a top NFL prospect not as a QB but as a WR.

“He’s either the No. 2 or No. 1 most highly rated WR option and he hasn’t even played the position,” is the exact wording from Twitter in reference to Robinson’s draft stock in next year’s 2013 NFL draft.

Luckily, Robinson has an entire collegiate season remaining to either make his case as a pro caliber QB or further display his insane athletic abilities to cash in and provide speed and skill in another positional role.

If Robinson does decide to swap out his job under center for another when rising up to the NFL, he’ll join other collegiate QBs such as Antwaan Randle El (QB at Indiana, WR/KR at Pittsburgh), Scott Frost (QB at Nebraska, DB at in the NFL), Joshua Cribbs (QB at Kent State, WR/KR at Cleveland), Michael Robinson (QB at Penn State, RB at Seattle) and Brad Smith (QB at Missouri, WR/KR at the NY Jets), all who made a successful switch upwards.

Regardless of what happens specifically with Robinson as a pro level athlete, the following slideshow highlights 10 college football QBs who also have the skills to play another position.

 

Collin Klein, Kansas State

As a QB in 2011, Collin Klein was only outrushed by Chandler Harnish from Northern Illinois and Denard Robinson at Michigan.

In fact, Klein’s 1,141 yards on the ground is just 35 less than Robinson’s total in 2011 while his 27 TDs blew Robinson (with 16) and everyone else out of the water.

Yes, Klein was the No. 35 ranked rusher in the nation last season but he was tied for No. 2 nationally in rushing TDs…as a QB.

The only guy who scored more on the ground was Wisconsin’s Montee Ball, who tied the all-time record with 33.

At 6’ 5” and 226 pounds, Klein has the size to play QB in the NFL but as the No. 77 tosser in college football last season in terms of passer rating (125.64) he will drastically have to improve his image to make a case for a QB continuance in the pros.

Of course it doesn’t help that he plays for a team that ranked No. 108 in passing yards and No. 29 in rushing.

Klein will be a senior in 2012 and though he won’t be an “under the radar” type of guy like he was coming into 2011 (think Heisman long shot), he’ll be an interesting commodity by the time the ’13 draft rolls around.

Tevin Washington, Georgia Tech

Tevin Washington is not necessarily a shoe in for this list but he’s still got the talent and stats to be in a discussion of QBs who could move positionally.

First, Washington earned his 2011 numbers in the triple option, which means his rushing yard totals are inflated due to the offensive scheme (therefore they’re less relevant from a comparable standpoint), and second, he’s not even guaranteed the starting spot at Tech in 2012.

Despite all this, Washington is a guy who ran for 987 yards in 2011 (making the No. 48 rusher in the country) while he was only 74/150 (49.3 percent) for 1,652 yards, 11 TDs and eight picks as a passer.

At 6’1”, 205lbs, Washington’s not huge and even with a brilliant season as a senior in 2012 it’s hard to see him being considered as an NFL caliber QB, especially given that Georgia Tech is not the kind of place to showcase a passing display.

So, could he make the switch to TE, RB, WR or find a home defensively?

Well, the guy is an athlete which makes an on-field switch a definite possibility.

 

James Franklin, Missouri

James Franklin had the unfortunate task of being the guy to follow Blaine Gabbert as the starting QB at Missouri.

And though they were almost impossible shoes to fill, Franklin showed sparks of athletic brilliance in 2011…fiery flames that lead you believe that he could be an offensive weapon in any number of capacities.

In addition to throwing for 2,865 yards and 21 TDs, Franklin rushed for 981 yards (making him the No. 50 runner in college football) and 15 additional scores.

As just a junior in 2012 Franklin will have the opportunity to continue to improve his draft stock in Mizzou’s new and highly publicized SEC East home, but if things don’t work out as passer he has all the right stuff to strike it big at another position.

Just to add a log to the fire, Franklin also caught one pass season for a 31-yard gain last year.

 

 

MarQueis Gray, Minnesota

Once Jerry Kill completely settles in at Minnesota it seems fair to assume that we’ll hear more about MarQueis Gray, who will likely repeat his role as starting QB in his senior season this fall.

Though Gray languished to a low 114.5 passer rating in 2011 (No. 93 nationally), he ran for over 100 yards in four games, including 160 yards vs. Northwestern and 167 yards against Illinois.

Yes, though Gray ranked No. 93 in the nation in passing last season he ranked No. 53 as a rusher.

At 6’4”, 240lbs, Gray is a big lad who, if he finds a role at the next level, may be better suited as a TE or RB.

 

Taylor Martinez, Nebraska

Even though it seems like Taylor Martinez has been around forever (relative to college football time) he’ll only be a junior in 2012, meaning that he still has plenty of time to make a case for whichever of his dual threats he wants to try and exercise at the next level.

Martinez juked and jived for 874 rushing yards in 2011 and though he threw for over 2,000 yards, his passer rating and completion rate actually took a hit against his performance as a freshman while his INT total was plus one vs. 2010.

If Martinez can’t find consistency as a passer then he’s actually got the perfect catapult in Nebraska to find an NFL spot at another position.

The other factor working against Martinez is that he’s simply not a bulky guy and at 6’1”, 200lbs, his struggles as a passer stand out more, or perhaps are more of a concern given his size.

Taylor Martinez is yet another great athlete that may be simply in the wrong position from a professional approach.

Alex Gillett, Eastern Michigan

Though Alex Gillett is unlikely to top anyone’s draft worthy QB chart, here’s a guy who has continued to evolve as a college QB in three seasons and who also racked up 736 yards on the ground in 2011, leading EMU to their best season since 1995.

Gillett is a 6’1”, 215-pound incoming senior who has loads of talent.

 

Braxton Miller, Ohio State

One of the silver linings of Ohio State’s unthinkable 6-7 season in 2011 was the play of true freshman Braxton Miller, who showed as much promise as any young player on the bigger college stage.

Not only did Miller scamper for 713 yards on the ground, he also threw well enough (yes, it’s all relative) to earn a 138.4 passer rating making him not a great tosser but a promising one.

Yes, Miller struggled in 2011, but the guy was straight out of high school and still managed some sparks regardless of the play of an “easy like Sunday morning” offensive line.

If Braxton Miller turns out to struggle long term through the air, then he may be the next Denard Robinson-type kid who Mel Kiper calls out as a WR with the draft still over a year away.

 

Kain Colter, Northwestern

As a sophomore, Kain Colter filled in for Dan Persa while he was out of commission for the first three games of 2011.

Though Colter’s performance wasn’t exactly stellar, he did lead Northwestern to a 2-1 finish and then went on to catch 43 passes for 466 yards and 3 TDs as a receiver. However, the season played out to another 6-7 finish.

Colter will be in the running to start at QB for the Wildcats in 2012, but if that doesn’t work out he will no doubt be part of the receiving corps, and if he can score a couple of good years then his destiny might be altered at another level.

Colter, at 6’0”, 190 pounds, also lacks the size necessary to fit the NFL QB jelly mold, which doesn’t mean he can’t do it but the lack of bulk along with a Northwestern gridiron pedigree may prove a hard sell to the science-minded draft board.

 

 

 

 

Zach Maynard, Cal

Perhaps a bit of a stretch for this list, Zach Maynard enters into his senior season in 2012 primed to lead a deeper, more talented Cal team.

Though Maynard passed for nearly 3,000 yards in 2011, he had 12 picks to balance his 17 TD tosses and was sacked a gut wrenching 27 times.

For an experienced guy Maynard’s passer rating netted him a relatively low No. 69 national ranking, meaning that if he’s going to be a great QB the time is now.

If not, Maynard’s an athlete who managed to haul in at least one pass for 27 yards as a receiver last season, perhaps foreshadowing a future career change.

David Ash, Texas

Who knows if David Ash will even find a way back to the coveted job under center at Texas in 2012, but if not he’s a guy that has athletic ability and youth on his side.

What’s unsettling about Ash as a QB are numbers like four TDs, eight INTs, 16 sacks and a QB rating of 107.4; the upside in other roles are two receptions for 27 yards, one score as a receiver and an additional TD on the ground.

As a 6’3”, 215-pound incoming sophomore who managed to get himself a golden ticket to Texas, this kid has got it all and oozes with potential, even without a QB title.