Derwin James working overtime to help FSU defense, special teams, offense

When Derwin James isn't sprinting through pursuit drills with the first-team defense, he's busy fielding kickoffs with the return unit.

When he's not handling returns, he's in line to catch passes with Florida State's wide receivers. If he's not doing that, he might be working on his pass-rushing skills with the defensive ends.

When he has completed those tasks, he'll head over to his actual position group and do drills with the rest of the Seminoles' defensive backs.

This is not Derwin James' daily routine. They're just examples of how the redshirt sophomore safety keeps busy during the first 10 to 15 minutes of practice, before the Seminoles start working on more formal team drills.

James is arguably the most versatile player in college football. At 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds, he possesses the size and strength to line up at numerous positions and the athleticism to make the bizarre seem normal.

As No. 3 FSU ends preseason camp, it will await No. 1 Alabama for the teams' Sept. 2 showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Both sides feature several players capable of making an impact, but few can accomplish that in as many ways as James.

"I think the game's changed. You need more versatility," Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said, explaining why a player like James is so valuable. "Because you're playing a run offense, you play a spread offense, you play a no-huddle offense. ... The multiple formations, the different athletes and the way the game is turned into a physical game, but also a space game."