Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III is already making an impression on the field in training camp. After just a few days of practice, head coach Dirk Koetter announced that the first-round draft pick would be moving up to a starting role, rotating both at cornerback and nickelback.
Now, it appears that for Hargreaves to start, it will be at nickel — the defensive back position that floats between the two safeties on defense. According to Bucs Insider Jenna Laine with ESPN, coaches are willing to start Hargreaves, but they are putting him at nickel instead of corner, where he played all three seasons at UF. Below is an excerpt from Laine's report.
"Hargreaves started camp getting reps with the second-team defense at both nickelback and cornerback, with an emphasis on learning the nickel position. Because he played only outside at Florida, it's been an adjustment defending slot receivers. On Aug. 3, he started rotating in with the first team at both positions, but his best shot to get on the field right away is nickel, even if that's not the most natural position for him."
Hargreaves finished his UF career with 121 total tackles and 10 interceptions.
