News broke on Saturday afternoon that Florida State senior cornerback Malique Jackson would be making the move from cornerback to wide receiver.
Under head coach Jimbo Fisher, moving players around are not uncommon and often times, they move from defense to offense or vice versa. With Jackson making the switch, we decided to look at the five players who have fared the best when it comes to switching from one side of the ball to another since Fisher took over in 2010.
The list omits players who were recruited at a position, but made the switch before ever suiting up for the Seminoles. Players who fit this mold include Freddie Stevenson and Xavier Rhodes. Players who moved from one side of the ball to the other and then back like Giorgio Newberry or Ryan Green were also not included.
5. Ermon Lane (2014-Present)
Move: From wide receiver to safety
Once a 5-star prospect at wide receiver, Ermon Lane looked to be on his way toward being a bust. After catching just 19 passes over his first two seasons and getting off to a slow start as a junior, Lane made a midseason switch to safety, where he looked like a natural. With Derwin James and Nate Andrews both sidelined for the season with injury, Lane proved to be an enforcer deep in the defensive backfield, finishing with 37 tackles in seven games and an interception.
4. Rick Leonard (2014-Present)
Move: From defensive end to tackle
After being used sparingly as a defensive end, Rick Leonard made the switch to the offensive line in 2016, where he would start six games as a junior. Leonard struggled early, but improved immensely as the year went on. In his final three starts, which included two contests against top-10 defenses, FSU averaged more than 36 points per game.
3. Chad Abram (2010-13)
Move: From safety to fullback
Over his final two years at Florida State, Chad Abram transitioned from a 190-pound defensive back to a menacing 230-back lead blocker who wore the nickname, “Big Pad Chad”. In his final season in 2013, Abram paved the way for a deep stable of running backs on an offense that scored more points than any program in FBS history and ranked 10th in yards per rush attempt. Abram finished his senior year with 100 total yards and three receiving touchdowns, including a big one in the fourth quarter of the BCS National Championship against Auburn.
2. Karlos Williams (2011-14)
Move: From safety to running back
Once a 5-star safety out of high school, Karlos Williams made plays on the defensive side of the ball, including the 2012 ACC Championship-sealing interception against Georgia Tech. Williams however, never made quite as many plays as some would hope. The second game into Williams’ junior season, he was moved to running back and took his first carry 65 yards for a touchdown. From there, Williams would be a mainstay in the backfield, rushing for more than 1,400 yards and 22 touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry in two seasons. As a senior in 2014, Williams scored game-winning touchdowns against both Clemson and Notre Dame.
1. Cameron Erving (2010-14)
Move: From defensive tackle to offensive line
Cameron Erving was a contributor for Florida State as a redshirt freshman in 2011, but with a deep defensive front, Fisher and company decided to try his hand at offense. Over the next three years, Erving started every game and was named a first-team All-ACC selection and the winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy in each of his final two seasons. Erving was a first-team All-American in 2013 and helped FSU win its first national championship in 14 years. Erving moved to center late in his senior year before going on to be selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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