When you average 4.7 yards per carry in limited snaps during your first two seasons of college football at an SEC school like Tennessee, you're likely expecting that player will play running back his entire career (and potentially at the same school).
However, Cameron Seldon decided to be the exception to the rule this offseason.
The former #1 overall recruit in Virginia in the 2023 class decided to transfer back to his home state this winter and play for Virginia Tech. However, the change didn't stop there as Seldon also made a position change from running back to wide receiver.
Not only was Seldon's position change not one of those 'he's buried on the depth chart so let's try him out at a different spot' situations. Rather, the plan was for Seldon to play wide receiver from the moment he committed to the Hokies.
It wasn't something that Seldon necessarily expected when he entered the portal, but he embraced the opportunity once it was presented to him by Virginia Tech.
"No, entering the portal, I didn't really know what to expect. I've always been an athlete, so I wasn't expecting to get an offer for receiver. But the opportunity seemed like it was a pretty good opportunity, so I took full advantage of it," Seldon said.
Since then, Seldon has flourished for the Hokies, having an impressive spring where he showed off his athleticism and looks like the potential frontrunner to be Virginia Tech's WR3 and starting slot receiver this fall.
Offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery has been impressed by how Seldon has picked up the wide receiver since arriving in Blacksburg in January.
"At the start of camp; really, really pleased. I thought he had a good summer, got a better understanding, number one of the offense, and then number two, just the position itself. And so, those natural attributes that he has, the speed and the power and all those things, you started seeing early in camp. Him just playing through routes faster, understanding coverages, understanding spacing," Montgomery said.
Head coach Brent Pry has also been pleased with what he's seen from Seldon during his first several months in Blacksburg, even as the Tennessee transfer still has some room to grow as a WR.
"You see some explosive plays, you see the potential there. He’s a good student of the game. He’s still learning the position. He’s right in the mix of things, right in the throw of things. He’s got tremendous speed, he’s got a good build on him. He’s still a work in progress, he’s still coming. We look for him to have a good camp and find some consistency in his play before we enter the season," Pry said.
While it seems from the outside that Seldon is getting more comfortable at wide receiver, the Browns Stone, VA native says he's never comfortable even if he is willing to acknowledge that his transition to WR is going well.
"I don't ever get comfortable. I would say I'm definitely transitioning well, but there's always more work to do," Seldon said.
