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Red Raider Gridiron | Middleton and Moore Switch to Defense; Marquez to Stay Inside

Tyler Middleton is switched to cornerback and Gary Moore is switched to defensive end. Bradley Marquez is set to stay at inside receiver. Jace Amaro is voted in as a consensus All-American.

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning. It seems we have some news with things that actually happen on the field as TE Gary Moore is moving to defensive end (or outside linebacker or something like that) and RB Tyler Middleton is moving to cornerback.  I am all bout it bout it.  Up next is hopefully Poet Thomas, who was initially recruited as an offensive tackle, but played defensive tackle (and had plenty of nice tape) in high school at Michigan, plus he weighs 335.  I'm actually excited about the two actual moves that did happen.

With Moore, he was rumored to be a guy that could be utilized on defense, but was kept at offense for the initial part of his redshirt year.  We don't really know what happens to these guys during their redshirt years and assume that this change maybe didn't happen overnight.  The same thing with Middleton, who is really a terrific, long and lean athlete, who looks like he can certainly play the part at cornerback.  I honestly can't wait until after the bowl game and national signing day where we really get to take a look at the positions and where players project. Should be a fun off-season.

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Middleton and Moore Move to Defense: Check out all of the details from the LAJ, where they talk about the moves of Middleton and Moore to the defensive side of the ball.  Here's Co-DC Matt Wallerstedt on the moves of both players, up first is Moore:

"We had him stand up against Branden Jackson a while back — three or four weeks ago — and put out their wing spans and height and just kind of compared bodies," Wallerstedt said. "He’s longer than Branden Jackson, a little bit taller than Branden Jackson, has a frame like Branden Jackson, so we’re excited."

Here is Wallerstedt on Middleton:

"He provides a presence there at corner and has done a really nice job," Wallerstedt said. "We weren’t sure how tough he was going to be, but he’s put his face on people. Thursdays, when we repped the young guys during the season for a scrimmage-type situation, he was putting his face on the ball carriers and doing some good things.

Marquez Staying Inside: Also from the LAJ is the note that Bradley Marquez will most likely stay at the inside receiver spot and OC Eric Morris talks about why he made that move:#

"It’s just a thing where (Marquez) was playing really good and Reginald Davis was playing really good," co-offensive coordinator Eric Morris said this week. "We thought competition was the best thing there, and we try to get our best four players on the field at any time. He (Marquez) is a smart kid and could handle it. We wanted a little bit bigger body for run blocking. The inside receivers play such an important role in our run game."

Morris also talks about how this has supplanted IR Jakeem Grant and that this isn't the result of anything that Grant has done. I'd also mention that if TE Jace Amaro is going to maybe declare, then Texas Tech is going to have to get someone ready for that inside receiver spot if Amaro leaves. I think this move is interesting.

Amaro is Consensus All-American: TE Jace Amaro is now a consensus All-American.  Yesterday, Amaro was named as to the first team AP All-American team and the Sports Illustrated All-American team.  There are two different types of All-Americans, there are consensus, which is being named to at least half of the recognized lists, and unanimous, which is being named to all of them. Speaking of Amaro, SB Nation has their latest mock draft and has Amaro at #28.

Kingsbury to UT? Please sit back and chuckle as NFL's Gil Brandt, who suggests Kingsbury should be considered as a candidate for the Longhorns. This just doesn't seem real thought out by Brandt.