Florida State offensive lineman Cameron Erving twice experienced a position change in college, showing off the ability to be versatile to NFL scouts.*
Cameron Erving said he had Florida State's best interests at heart when he moved from tackle to center. At that point, he wasn't even thinking about the repercussions of switching positions to the extent of the NFL Draft.
Check out these photos of Cameron Erving, a versatile and athletic offensive lineman from Florida State University.
Even so, it still wouldn't have mattered to Erving, who had already switched positions once before.
"When I moved from defense (after freshman season) that was what was best for the team," Erving told reporters at his NFL Combine press conference. "And that's how I did. As far as moving from tackle to center it's what the team needed at the time. So I did it."
His draft stock did not matter at the time.
"Initially [head coach Jimbo Fisher] tried to talk about it, but honestly at the end of the day I was like, 'Coach, if you need me to move I'll do it,'" Erving recalled.
Erving said the switch from tackle to center was simple. He knew the line calls in general, so that was not a factor in his play. His intensity was all that mattered.
Erving, who stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 298 pounds, said if he is playing with the same intensity, then football is just football – no matter the position.
In 2014, Erving was honored with the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is given to the best blocker in each conference. Here's where his other honors become stratified: Erving was All-ACC First Team at left tackle (by coaches/ media), All-ACC Second Team at center (by the media) and All-ACC Third Team at center (by the coaches).
The major difference he said was how quickly the play unfolds at center compared to tackle.
"Although you have a lot of great athletes out there on the edge," he said. "When I was at center things happened real fast and in close proximity. So you'd have to react. Things happened a lot faster inside."
Erving is an athlete, too. At the 2015 NFL Combine, he ranked in the Top 5 of all offensive linemen in the bench press with 30 reps.
During meetings with teams, Erving said they tried to gauge his preference between tackle and center. Wherever he plays, he wants to be an asset to his future team.
"I don't know exactly what certain teams have in store for me," Erving said. "Regardless of where I go, I'll always be the same way in doing whatever the team needs."
RELATED LINKS:
-- Washington Redskins 2015 Mock Madness
-- 2015 Redskins Draft Central
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