7 College Football Players Who Mastered A New Position After Heading To The NFL

Most people say they would do whatever it takes to make an NFL roster, but what if that meant learning a brand-new position? That was the only option for some college football players, including these guys who stuck the landing after pivoting.

These NFL players did pretty well after switching up the position they played in college

Professional football is very different from college football, so skills don’t always translate the same way, but that doesn’t mean a high-level athlete can’t find a roster spot.

Most of these guys are freak athletes with strong work ethics, but weren’t polished enough at their college positions to make the NFL.

But the good thing about football is that many skills translate, and there is no substitute for hard work.

It’s also safe to assume these guys have high character, since coaches wanted to keep them around long enough to find them a position.

But without further ado, here are seven players who changed positions after making it to the NFL.

Taysom Hill

Taysom Hill threw for over 6,000 yards at BYU; he was a dual-threat QB who went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. Hill originally signed with the Packers, but then took on an interesting role with the Saints.

He started out as a special teams player before finding snaps on offense as a receiver, tight end, and mobile quarterback. Hill is the only player in the modern era to record 1,000 career yards as a passer, receiver, and runner.

He was listed as a tight end for fantasy football purposes despite his versatility. But those who had him won’t forget Week 11 in 2020, when he started at QB for an injured Drew Brees but was eligible to be played at tight end on fantasy rosters.

Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman followed a similar path to Taysom Hill: he was a college quarterback at Kent State but had to find a new role in the pros.

Edelman also made his first impact on special teams, earning a roster spot on the Patriots as a returner for kicks and punts. He then transitioned to wide receiver and also subbed in at cornerback in 2011 due to a handful of injuries to the defense.

Edelman found a ton of success as a wide receiver; he went on to become third in all-time playoff receiving yards and won Super Bowl 53 MVP.

Terrelle Pryor

Like the previous two players, Terrelle Pryor was a college quaterback who started at Ohio State and was a dynamic dual-threat for the Buckeyes.

He was good enough to leave after his junior year and play quarterback for the Raiders for three seasons. However, over those three years, he threw 9 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, then joined the Bengals in free agency but was cut.

According to Pryor, he texted his now-ex-girlfriend about being cut, and she suggested he try receiver, as she thought he would be good at it. She was right: Pryor was 6’4, ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, and was a natural receiver.

Pryor went on to earn 51 starts as a receiver across various NFL teams and recorded over 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns over his career.

Delanie Walker

Many people know Delanie Walker as one of the fastest tight ends ever, but that makes sense because he played wide receiver at Central Missouri.

However, Walker didn’t change positions out of desperation; the 49ers selected him in the sixth round to play tight end because of his big frame.

It proved to be the right call as Walker went on to play 14 seasons as a tight end, racking up nearly 6,000 yards and scoring 36 touchdowns.

Joe Staley

In his first year at Central Michigan, Joe Staley caught 130 yards and scored a touchdown as a tight end, a promising start for a true freshman.

But Coach Brian Kelly saw something else in Staley and transitioned him to offensive line. He went on to be a first-round pick as an offensive tackle and played 13 years for the 49ers.

Staley made six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams, and even appeared in two Super Bowls. He also tapped into his former position a few times, catching three passes in the pros over his career.

Ty Montgomery

Ty Montgomery was an All-American receiver at Stanford. He caught 15 touchdowns and totaled over 2,000 receiving yards in college.

The Packers selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft to play wide receiver, but a series of backfield injuries led him to get some carries at running back.

Although he played running back a bit in high school, it had been a while, but you wouldn’t have known based on his play. Not long into his running back stint, he put up 162 yards and two touchdowns against the Chicago Bears, and Coach Mike McCarthy and he agreed he’d play running back from then on.

Antwaan Randle El

Antwaan Randle El was an elite college quarterback at Indiana University; in his senior year, he finished sixth in Heisman voting. He was a dual-threat QB and even had a few receptions, proving how versatile he was.

He was so versatile that both the NFL and MLB drafted him, but he chose football when the Steelers took him with their second round pick in

Standing at 5’10, Randle El knew playing QB was a long shot, so he switched to wide receiver before being drafted and entering the combine as a wide receiver.

From 2002-2010, he had a very successful career as a receiver, catching 370 passes for 4467 yards and 15 TDs. He embraced his new position so much that he now serves as the Chicago Bears’ wide receiver coach.