College Football Players Who Should Change Positions in 2015
Remember that time Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill started the 2010 season as a receiver and finished as the starting quarterback?
Tannehill came to A&M as a 3-star dual-threat prospect, switched to receiver and wound up back at quarterback. He is now the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, where he landed as the eighth overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft.
The story illustrates how position changes in college football are driven by need. Jerrod Johnson threw eight picks in two games at the beginning of the 2010 season, so the Aggies opted to move Tannehill (the No. 1 receiver in 2008 and the No. 2 guy in 2009) back to quarterback.
Here’s a look at nine players who may have a shot at making a move based on need combined with size and experience. All represent opportunities for coaching staffs to get creative.
Torrance Gibson, Ohio State
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Current Position: Quarterback
New Position: Wide Receiver
This just in…Ohio State has too many quarterbacks.
What do you do if you are Torrance Gibson, a 4-star dual-threat prospect from Plantation, Fla. who signed on with the class of 2015?
Gibson, though touted as one of the best athletes in the nation, is likely the fourth or fifth option at quarterback for the Buckeyes behind Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett, Braxton Miller, Stephen Collier and/or Joe Burrow.
The good news for Gibson is he’s fast, really fast. In fact, he also runs the 200 and 400 in track. At 6’4”, 195 pounds, Gibson fits the specs for a top-tier receiver.
He’s the perfect candidate to replace Ohio State’s leading receiver from 2014, Devin Smith.
Charles Nelson, Oregon
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Current Position: Wide Receiver
New Position: Cornerback
Oregon ranked No. 111 out of the 128 FBS teams in pass defense in 2014. Combine that with a projected one starter back in the secondary in 2015, and you get the picture.
The Ducks need help against the pass.
Who better than Charles Nelson, who served as receiver, rusher, return specialist and defender as a freshman in 2014? That’s right, along with 1,017 all-purpose yards he contributed 16 tackles.
It comes as no surprise from a kid who recorded four interceptions as a safety during his senior season at Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Joe Dineen, Kansas
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Current Position: Running Back
New Position: Safety
After being recruited as a safety, Kansas’ Joe Dineen spent his freshman season listed as a running back, rushing 14 times for 45 yards in 2014.
The Jayhawks’ 2015 roster has Dineen at linebacker, a spot where he could potentially build on the five tackles he registered in three games last season.
Where Kansas really needs Dineen (6’2”, 210 pounds) is at safety, especially given its membership in the pass-happy Big 12. This is the same position he played (along with quarterback) as a senior at Free State High School in Lawrence, Kan., racking up 73 tackles (five for a loss), two fumble recoveries and one interception. He was also named Gatorade’s Football Player of the Year in Kansas in 2013.
The Jayhawks finished last season ranked No. 89 in the FBS in pass defense.
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Evan Berry, Tennessee
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Current Position: Defensive Back
New Position: Running Back
Evan Berry played safety and quarterback at Creekside High School in Fairburn, Ga. before signing on with Tennessee as a cornerback in 2014.
Berry was used sparingly on defense as a freshman, recording five tackles, but returned 14 kicks for 413 yards on special teams.
Though Berry doesn’t have a ton of experience as a rusher, his good hands are verified by his high school experience and his status as the Vols’ No. 1 return man
The bottom line is Tennessee needs help shoring up its depth at running back more than in the secondary. The Volunteers finished 2014 ranked No. 92 in the FBS in rushing yards and return one starter versus a No. 23 rank in pass defense, where three starters are due back.
Anthony Moten, Miami (Fla.)
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Current Position: Defensive Tackle
New Position: Offensive Tackle
Anthony Moten came to Miami as a 4-star recruit from St. Thomas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. with the class of 2014. He played sparingly as a freshman, recording two tackles in 10 games.
Moten is expected to serve in a backup role in 2015. Regardless of his lack of experience on offense, he’s the type of player that could make a much-needed switch to the other side of the ball.
The Hurricanes have holes to fill at both right and left tackle on the O-line, making the 6’4”, 295-pound Moten an under-the-radar candidate for a position swap.
Don’t think it would fly?
Think back to Florida State’s Cameron Erving, who moved from defensive tackle to offensive tackle after the 2011 season, going on to earn All-American honors. He’s also listed among the top 10 interior offensive lineman in the 2015 NFL draft.
Fred Ross, Mississippi State
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Current Position: Wide Receiver
New Position: Running Back
After catching 30 passes for 489 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore in 2014, Mississippi State’s Fred Ross is set to serve in a backup capacity at wide receiver in 2015.
What may serve both Ross and the Bulldogs better is a move to running back, where top rusher Josh Robinson must be replaced.
Not only did Robinson (5’9”, 215 pounds) lead the team with 1,203 yards on 190 carries, he was the Bulldogs’ No. 5 receiver with 28 catches for 370 yards.
This makes Ross, at 6’2”, 205 pounds, a realistic option, especially given the team’s depth on wide receiver versus its needs at running back.
Jacob Pugh, Florida State
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Current Position: Linebacker
New Position: Tight End
Though replacing quarterback Jameis Winston is at the top of the Seminole’s offseason list, a close second is finding someone to take over tight end Nick O’Leary’s role.
With 48 catches, O’Leary (6’3”, 247 pounds) was the team’s No. 2 receiver, racking up 618 yards and six touchdowns. What can’t be tracked with statistics is the number of times O’Leary caught a pass in a clutch situation and extended Florida State’s drive to the CFB Playoff.
Either Kevin Haplea or Ryan Izzo may get the nod to replace O’Leary, but neither looks like the total package.
Enter the wild card, Jacob Pugh, a 4-star from Godby High School in Tallahassee, Fla. with the class of 2014. At 6’4”, 236 pounds, Pugh has the size but not the collegiate experience.
Can he catch the ball? Well, he scored two interceptions as a freshman, both in the win over Notre Dame. And, oh yeah, by the way, he played tight end in high school, registering 97 yards and three touchdowns on only four catches as a senior.
Greg Daniels, Texas
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Current Position: Tight End
New Position: Defensive End
After missing the 2014 season with a knee injury, Greg Daniels will return to a depth chart with two or three tight ends ahead of him.
Daniels is a hefty 6’5”, 215 pounds and caught a total of eight passes combined at tight end in 2012 and 2013, when he also participated sparingly as a defensive tackle.
The good news is Daniels came to Texas as a 4-star defensive end, where he may prove more useful to a Longhorns defense that is set to return only two starters to the D-line.
Texas must replace both Malcom Brown and Cedric Reed in 2015. Brown led the team in tackles for a loss (13) and sacks (6.5) while Reed was No. 5 in TFLs (nine) and No. 3 in sacks (5.5).
Tanner McEvoy, Wisconsin
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Current Position: Quarterback
New Position: Safety
After getting the nod as the starter for the first five games in 2014, Tanner McEvoy faces a five-man quarterback race in 2015.
Add in a new head coach who recruited one of his competitors (Bart Houston), and McEvoy’s chances to return under center are diminishing.
The good news is McEvoy has experience at another position, safety, where he played (along with quarterback in a limited capacity) in the Badgers’ Outback Bowl win over Auburn.
Statistics courtesy of CFBStats. Returning starter data courtesy of Phil Steele.
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