New Year, New Me!!!

[Mr. Too Proud]

Legends like

Antwaan Randle El, Ronnie Lott, Brian Urlacher and Thomas Davis Sr.

 

Stars like 

Micah Parsons,Tyreek Hill, Darren Waller, Julian Eldeman, Richard Sherman, Jason Peters and Ryan Tannehill 

 

Players to a lesser degree like 

Taysom Hill, Ty Montgomery and Tim Tebow

 

Have all changed positions either in college or the NFL.

 

Would any of these position changes below interest Ballard enough to take a risk?

 

Johnny Wilson WR FSU 6'7 235lbs

 

 

Change from WR to TE

Similar build: Donald Parham (Chargers)

 

Optimal usage: Vertical/Jimmy Graham 

 

 

 

Graham Barton OT Duke 6'5 315lbs

 

 

 

 

 

Change from OT to G

 

Similar build: Peter Skoronski (Titans)

 

Optimal usage: Guard or Center/ Connor Williams 

 

 

 

Ainias Smith WR A&M 5'10 200lbs

 

 

 

 

Change from WR to RB

 

Similar build: Austin Eklier (Chargers)

 

Optimal usage: scat back/ Nyheim Hines 

 

 

 

Cooper Dejan CB Iowa 6'1 207lbs

 

 

Change from CB to SAF

 

Similar build: Jordan Poyer (Bills)

 

Optimal usage: Slot & Center field

 

 

 

James Williams Miami 6'5 215lbs 

 

 

 

Change from SAF to LB or Nickle Back

 

Similar build: Isaiah Simmons (Giants)

 

Optimal usage: Blitzer/Jamal Adams 

 

 

 

TJ Tampa CB Iowa St 6'2 200lbs 

 

 

Change from CB to SAF

 

Similar build: Grant Delpit (Browns)

 

Optimal usage: Box Safety/TE eraser

 

 

 

Emeka Egbuka slot OSU 6'1 205lbs 

 

 

 

Change from slot to Z reciever

 

Similar build: Calvin Ridley (Jaguars)

 

Correct usage: Bunch, trips and motion/Ceedee Lamb

 

 

Mad scientist 

 

Braelon Allen Wisconsin 6'2 240lbs

 

 

 

Change from RB to TE

Similar build: Irv Smith Jr. (Bengals)

 

Best Usage: Wildcat/Taysom Hill 

 

Malachi Corley Western Kentucky 5'11 200lbs

 

 

 

Change from WR to RB 

 

Similar build: Kenneth Gainwell (Eagles)

 

Optimal usage: draws, strech, screens and passes out the backfield (Antonio Gipson)

 

 

 

[Superman]

I love this thread. I don't know much about these players, but I completely agree with the concept. I think teams do this often, and the Colts have done plenty of it. They just converted Ronnie Harrison from safety to LB (and back again), and apparently that was their plan for him all along. Looking for unique ways to use athletic players is a great way to get more value out of the draft, and diversify your roster. 

[stitches]

Ballard is a fan of players with positions mismatching their talent at the NFL level. For example Marvel Tell was a safety in college but we drafted him to be a CB for us. @Superman just mentioned Ronnie Harrison. Rodney Thomas was a linebacker in Yale... Julian Blackmon played more at CB than Safety in Utah. 

 

In general, it seems like Ballard and his scouting staff is evaluating not just their play at the positions they play, but also their traits and possible transitions to other positions if those traits translate better at a new position in the league. 

 

So, to answer your question - no idea about those specific players, but IMO Ballard is very open to picking players and moving them to other positions if he thinks they will be better suited there and if he thinks there is unexplored value there... 

[Superman]

1 hour ago, stitches said:

Ballard is a fan of players with positions mismatching their talent at the NFL level. For example Marvel Tell was a safety in college but we drafted him to be a CB for us. @Superman just mentioned Ronnie Harrison. Rodney Thomas was a linebacker in Yale... Julian Blackmon played more at CB than Safety in Utah. 

 

In general, it seems like Ballard and his scouting staff is evaluating not just their play at the positions they play, but also their traits and possible transitions to other positions if those traits translate better at a new position in the league. 

 

So, to answer your question - no idea about those specific players, but IMO Ballard is very open to picking players and moving them to other positions if he thinks they will be better suited there and if he thinks there is unexplored value there... 

 

They also have no problem drafting a guy as a prospect at one position, then moving him as they get to see him up close. Braden Smith, mostly a guard in college, Ballard saw him as a guard, then they put him at tackle and never looked back. 

[NewColtsFan]

And to add to the many names that have been mentioned we can also add Alex Ogletree.   A college WR, and the Colts made him a TE.  
 

Whether he ever plays another game for the Colts or not is another story, but the Colts are very willing to change the position of players.