Nick Marshall could be third-round draft pick as CB, Mel Kiper Jr. says

MOBILE -- Nick Marshall's move to defense could prove quite lucrative.

ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. believes Marshall, who announced he was switching from quarterback to cornerback on Tuesday as he prepares to the NFL, could go as high as the third round in this year's NFL draft.

"I think they'll give him the benefit of the doubt on (making the move during the Senior Bowl) as long as he goes down there and competes and he shows he has the skill set necessary to play a cornerback/safety position in the NFL," Kiper said during a teleconference Wednesday morning. "I think he will; I think he'll end up being a mid-round pick. ... maybe in the third or fourth round if he tests real well at the workouts."

Kiper previously felt Marshall was a "later round" possibility. As of Tuesday, NFLDraftScout.com had Marshall going in the sixth or seventh round as a free safety.

It surprised many, including Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage, that Marshall, who accepted an invite to the premier all-star game as a quarterback on Friday thanks in part to the lobbying of Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, chose to make the position move before Tuesday's first practice.

Kiper acknowledged the risk but said teams understand Marshall hasn't played cornerback in over three years.

"I think to do it now, you'd say well it's risky but NFL teams will understand he's going to be a little raw," Kiper said. "He's going to have his ups and his downs - as he's had so far - he's had some good moments and some kinky moments, which you expect."

Savage believes Marshall, who had 4,291 passing yards with 32 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and 1,848 rushing yards and 23 scores in his two seasons at Auburn, is capable of moving up in a thin cornerbacks group in this year's draft.

"I think if he can flash here, which he is, there will be quite a bit of intrigue because this is not a particularly strong cornerback class to begin with, so with that being said, he might be able to jump into the mix here," Savage said. "It'll be interesting to see what he really runs on a clock. That'll be a big test for him. I don't know his ball skills. I've never seen him catch a football other than maybe a throwback pass … Does he have the ability to do it? Sure. The inexperience is the question mark."