Abrams move to fullback surprising

With three new freshmen safeties enrolling this summer, and with Lamarcus Joyner moving over from cornerback, Florida State's cupboard is well stocked at safety.

So it didn't come as a surprise when the coaching staff decided to move Chad Abram to a new position this fall. What does come as a bit of a surprise is that he will now be lining up on the offensive side of the ball.

"He never played offense (in high school)," said Kathleen head coach Irving Strickland. "He played corner and free safety which was why I was surprised when I talked to him. I'm like, 'you're moving to what?'"

While he never carried the football in high school, Abram's athletic ability and 5-foot-11 and 228-pound frame should make him a good fit for fullback.

"He's athletic and can run. I think he can be a big time player," said FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher. "He's got great ball skills, tremendous top end speed, he's very athletic and extremely physical. He's not a 6-foot-2 or 3 guy, he's 6-foot or 5-11 guy... He can catch the ball out of the backfield."

While his high school coach admits he was caught a bit off guard by the surprising move of his former player, he agrees with Fisher that Abram has the natural ability to excel at his new position.

"If you are looking for somebody that is an athletic kid that will get up on a linebacker in the I-formation or however they are going to use him as far as his athletic ability he'll do a great job," said Strickland. "As an good athlete as he is I'm sure he'll make the adjustment and give it everything he has."

Considering that he's added about 30 pounds of muscle to his frame since his high school playing days, Fisher has little doubt that the sophomore will continue to add good weight and become a dominate force at fullback in the years to come.

"When he graduates he'll be 240 to 245 pounds," said Fisher. "I think he has tremendous upside."

Gene Williams is the founder and administrator of Warchant.com and writes stories and features covering all of FSU's sports with an emphasis on football and football

recruiting. For seven years, Williams hosted a weekly sports radio show in

Tallahassee. During football season, he appears as a weekly guest on 1010 XL Sports Radio in

Jacksonville and 1270 The Team in Tallahassee, and hosts a weekly TV show on WCTV2. Williams is also a former ACC correspondent for College Football News (weekly national

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