OAK PARK -- Former University of Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner is now in the NFL looking to make a new living with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, as his brief time in the NFL has shown so far, his future may not involve the quarterback position.

After being picked up by the New England Patriots when the NFL draft ended, he was quickly released and picked up by the Steelers. After being tested as a wide receiver, the Steelers have just recently worked out Gardner at quarterback once again.

Whether it is unclear is the Steelers will move Gardner back to wide receiver or a different position, there is someone from the Detroit area that believes Gardner can handle whatever is thrown at him.

That person is his high school football coach, Greg Carter.

Carter, who is the football coach and athletic director at Oak Park, coached Gardner for his junior and senior seasons at Inkster High School in 2008 and 2009. With Gardner as his quarterback, Inkster finished runner-up in Division 2 in both seasons.

With Gardner so busy in recent weeks for obvious reasons, Carter has not been in touch with his former quarter back since being picked up by the Patriots. However, given that a career in the NFL is at stake with still a lot of uncertainty in the air, Carter knows that Gardner is dealing with a challenge.

"When you're at the top level and you're playing guys that are professional, it's difficult to make a transition (to a new position)," Carter said. "Hopefully, Devin will get an opportunity to continue to play quarterback. I think, in an attempt to make it to the NFL - it's just me talking - but I would have wanted him to try out at a position that he was prepared for at first instead of a new position that's so difficult.

"But if anyone can do it, Devin can do it."

Gardner did make the transition to wide receiver his redshirt sophomore year at Michigan with minor success before being pulled back to quarterback to fill in for an injured Denard Robinson.

At Inkster, however, Carter knew that Gardner was athletic but never wanted to use him anywhere but at the quarterback position.

"He's a great quarterback," Carter said. "He ran through some difficult years (at Michigan) but did some really good things. There were games where he had a lot of turnovers from time-to-time but I think he was adjusting through a transition period as far as personnel and running game stuff."

Although the transition from quarterback to wide receiver at the NFL level is difficult, it has been done a number of times before. One of the most notable success stories was with former Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver Antwaan Randle El in the early 2000's, who excelled at quarterback at Indiana University.

Also, Gardner has been dealing with transitions his entire football career. Transferring midway through his high school years, Gardner also went through head coaching changes in college, a handful of secondary coaching changes and, of course, his position changes.

"I think Devin handled that (college) situation as good as could be expected," Carter said. "There were also changes in the way that he played. He's a dual-threat quarterback and they wound up running a pro-style, which is also difficult, with a couple of different quarterback coaches and an offensive coordinator.

"I think Devin did a good job," Carter said. "I'm proud of him. Hopefully, he'll get the opportunity to play for a lot of years at the next level."