FSU Football: Five Players Who Should Consider Position Changes

When it comes to players changing positions, few have moved them around better over the years than Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher.

During his seven years as FSU’s head coach, Fisher has an excellent track record when it comes to position changes. Whether it be minor changes like moving Lonnie Pryor from running back to fullback or switching Lamarcus Joyner from cornerback to safety then back or major changes like moving Cam Erving and Rick Leonard from the defensive line to the offensive line, few do it as well as Fisher.

With spring practice set to get underway on March 6, here are five players for Florida State who should consider switching positions:

Lawrence Dawsey, Jr., DB
Possible moves: Wide receiver
A preferred walk-on and son of FSU wide receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey, Lawrence Dawsey, Jr. did some really good things for the Florida State scout team last season. Most of the time, he was used on offense. The Seminoles look to be a deep group in the secondary, but return only five scholarship wide receivers. Following in his father’s footsteps could give Dawsey a chance to make an impact down the road.

Landon Dickerson, G
Possible moves: Tackle
Landon Dickerson made more impact than most would have guessed as a freshman last season, starting seven games at right guard for the Seminoles before going down with a season-ending knee injury. With left tackle Roderick Johnson off to the NFL however, Dickerson (assuming he recovers as expected) could be a candidate to man that spot. At 6-5 and 310 pounds, Dickerson is a tackle by trade and a quick learner. Don’t be surprised if he makes the transition.

Ryan Green, RB
Possible moves: Wide receiver
Ryan Green has moved from running back to defensive back and then back to running back throughout his Florida State career. Green’s impact however has been minimal and as long as he remains in the backfield, that probably won’t change. Green is already behind Jacques Patrick on the depth chart and will have to battle Amir Rasul and a pair of incoming 5-star players at tailback. What Green did show last spring however, was the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. With only five scholarship receivers returning, Green could make an impact for FSU in the slot.

Delvin Purifoy, LB
Possible moves: Defensive end, fullback
Injuries have not been kind to Delvin Purifoy during his time at FSU. In fact, they’ve been so unkind that younger players like Dontavios Jackson and Emmett Rice have already lapped Purifoy on the depth chart. At 6-2 and nearly 250 pounds, there are a number of different areas where Purifoy could make an impact. With FSU needing to replace Freddie Stevenson and fullback and with so many unproven defensive ends outside of Josh Sweat and Brian Burns, Purifoy could be a candidate to make an impact at either of those two spots.

Johnathan Vickers, RB
Possible moves: Fullback
With Freddie Stevenson having graduated, the Seminoles are looking for a new starting fullback. A tailback by trade, Vickers isn’t likely to see the field as a senior in 2017 over the likes of Jacques Patrick, Cam Akers, Amir Rasul or Khalan Laborn. At nearly 230 pounds however, Vickers is big enough to try his hand at fullback. Vickers has more meaningful experience than anyone else vying for that spot and a move could be his final chance to get meaningful reps.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson