Spring practice every year brings a couple position changes for players, as coaches look to figure out any way possible to get players in the best position to make plays.

Georgia is no different in this regard, and they should have even more than ever before with a new defensive coordinator and a new 3-4 scheme this spring.

In my opinion, the top five candidates for a position change are:

1) Cornelius Washington to outside linebacker – This guy seems destined for stardom at outside linebacker in Grantham’s system. At 6-foot-4 248 pounds, Washington has elite speed for his size. Unfortunately, he was always a tweener in the 4-3 defense of Willie Martinez, and he has been unable to put on the weight needed to be an every down defensive end in his first two seasons. However, last season he proved adept at getting to the quarterback in passing situations. Demarcus Dobbs singled Washington out as a player he really expected to benefit from the 3-4 and I’d have to agree. I think Washington stands to benefit more than any other player on the roster.

2) A.J. Harmon to nose tackle – Ok, I know that the coaching staff likes Harmon at offensive guard, but a lot of people preferred Harmon at defensive tackle coming out of high school. But in Martinez’s 4-3 scheme, he was too big to play defensive tackle – despite his desire to play the position – and the Georgia coaches told him he would have to lose weight to stay there. All the sudden that girth becomes a huge advantage and Harmon looks like an ideal candidate to battle with Deangelo Tyson for the starting nose tackle position in Grantham’s defense. With a pretty solid nucleus at offensive guard, I’d be very surprised if the coaches at least don’t take a look at Harmon in spring ball at nose tackle.

3) Richard Samuel to linebacker – I know that Samuel and Mike Bobo continue to say they expect Samuel to be a running back. But why? Samuel and King have already proven they can carry the load at running back. And Samuel has already proven he has exceptional top end speed, but he doesn’t have the cutting ability to be a big-time running back. Those two factors scream linebacker, where he’d be able to use his physicality and speed. Not to mention Samuel was more highly regarded as a linebacker in high school than running back. Another guy that I would be shocked if they didn’t move.

4) Abry Jones to defensive end – Guy is too good not to get him on the field. I could still see him sticking around at defensive tackle, but if nose tackle appears taken care of with Tyson and Kwame Geathers, then I could see him moving to the outside where his quickness off the ball would be more of an asset at a position at a position he wouldn’t have to throw on more weight to play. He also played defensive end in high school and said he prefers that position.

5) Montez Robinson to linebacker – With the need for bigger defensive ends in the 3-4, Robinson would need to gain some weight. Also, playing the defensive end in the 3-4 wouldn’t allow him to utilize his greatest strength: his speed for his size. And Justin Houston will already be slightly undersized for the defensive end in the 3-4, so I don’t see Grantham playing two smaller defensive ends together, especially when the majority of Georgia’s linebackers are undersized as well. That’s why I think he goes to outside linebacker, forming a potentially lethal combination of pass rushers with Washington, Robinson, and Houston all on the field together.

Two commits stand out to me as candidates for position changes from the ones they were recruited from under Willie Martinez. Garrison Smith is listed as a defensive tackle, but he looks like an ideal candidate for the defensive end in the 3-4. T.J. Stripling is another tweener that looks like a 3-4 outside linebacker under Grantham.

Note: I couldn’t classify Brandon Wood as a position change because he played defensive end for much of last season. Richt said after the bowl game that he would likely move inside to defensive tackle, but in Grantham’s new scheme, he’s definitely a defensive end. He played really well in the bowl game, and I expect him to flourish in the new scheme.