Posey a "natural athlete" who looks "very smooth" at receiver, FAU coach Kiffin says

BOCA RATON — He’s not a dark horse candidate for Florida Atlantic’s starting quarterback battle, but true freshman signal-caller Javion Posey will nonetheless have a chance to see the field this season.

Posey, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound quarterback from Alabama, spent all of Monday’s practice at wide receiver. He looked sharp with the second-team offense and even caught a touchdown from quarterback Nick Tronti in team drills.

"He is ridiculously athletic," Tronti said. "Like it is unreal. I’m so happy he’s gonna be out there."

Posey’s temporary switch comes as an inexperienced wide receiver unit has been hit with injuries. FAU head coach Lane Kiffin said last week talented true freshman receiver Eyin Cole will miss the entire season with a torn ACL. Starting outside receiver John Mitchell left Saturday’s scrimmage with an undisclosed injury and did not practice Monday.

Kiffin did not provide an update on Mitchell’s status when he addressed reporters Monday.

Posey isn’t the first Owls receiver to switch positions this summer. Alabama transfer Chris Herring started seeing reps at defensive back last week. Another receiver, fifth-year senior LaDante Harris, moved to the secondary when camp began.

Kiffin said Posey is a "natural athlete" who looked "very smooth" in his first full day at receiver. Posey worked out with the receivers before Saturday’s scrimmage but spent the actual practice at quarterback.

"(He has a) really good build for the position, too," Kiffin said. "Kind of thicker than a lot of our guys."

I am all here for the @JavionPosey WR train. #FAU pic.twitter.com/auco4dc0W9

— Jake Elman (@JakeElman97) August 19, 2019

Kiffin said he never recruited Posey as a receiver. Kiffin expects Posey to return to being a full-time quarterback after this season.

"He’s still a quarterback," Kiffin said. "He’s just doing this now to see if he can help the team."

FAU has had mixed success with quarterbacks becoming pass-catchers. Jupiter High alumnus and recent Bachelorette runner-up Tyler Cameron caught 41 passes for 509 yards and a touchdown as a tight end from 2015-16.

Cameron started his career as a quarterback at Wake Forest. He threw an incompletion on his lone pass with the Owls.

Former "Last Chance U" star John Franklin III played quarterback at three schools before transferring to FAU in August 2017. Franklin, who had switched to wide receiver earlier that year at Auburn, caught seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown at FAU.

Franklin also ran for 229 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries that year. He completed one of his two passes for 49 yards.

Would Tronti, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback who is a self-described physical runner, ever consider moving to receiver?

"Oh, no," Tronti said with a laugh. "I’m not quick enough at all. It would take me 10 minutes to run a curl route."

What about tight end?

"Maybe tight end," Tronti replied. "We’ll see."

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