Defying expectations: DEriq King wants to play QB

Many don't believe D'Eriq King will be a quarterback in college, but he's determined to try.

King committed to TCU in January. Many schools have interest in him as a wide receiver. A smaller, athletic passer who scrambles a lot, the assumption of many is his best position is elsewhere on the field. The Manvel (Texas) quarterback has made it clear, however, he wants to play the same position in college. He has also said TCU is going to give him the opportunity to do that.

While he has said he is going to take visits to other schools, King remains solidly committed to TCU, in part because the coaching staff has said it will give him that chance.

For all the reporters I am a solid TCU commit 🐸🏈 #GoFrogs- King (@DeriqKing_) June 20, 2015

King sees similarities between himself and the Horned Frogs' current starter, including his speed and his ability to create plays in the open field.

"This past season, what (Trevone) Boykin did in the system really stood out," King told Rivals.com. "Also, they're giving me an opportunity to play quarterback at TCU, so I think I can do a lot of things Boykin can do. So I think it's a good fit."

In the spread offense installed by offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie, Boykin threw for 33 touchdowns and 3,901 yards as a starter in 2014. He threw for 22 touchdowns and 3,252 yards over the previous two seasons combined. King, in a similar offense to what TCU runs now, threw for 47 touchdowns and 3,193 yards as a junior at Manvel in 2014.

Boykin also possesses great speed and the ability to make plays in space, which added another dimension to the TCU offense. He was often able to scramble for big gains or create time for receivers to separate themselves from defenders. King has the same kind of athleticism, running the ball for 710 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

The question is how much of an opportunity King will get. Boykin was thrust into action early due to a lack of depth at the position. He made his first start when Casey Pachall was arrested on a DWI charge in 2013 and replaced Pachall again when the senior broke his arm the following season. In both instances, Boykin was the next highest man on the depth chart.

The Frogs aren't dealing with a shortage of passers anymore. King would have to force his way to the front of a long line of quarterbacks in order to become the starter at TCU.

In 2016, former Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill will have two years of eligibility remaining after being required to sit out 2015 due to NCAA transfer rules. He will be expected to compete with Grayson Muehlstein and Foster Sawyer, who will both be redshirt sophomores with three years of eligibility left. All of them will have at least two years of experience at the college level when King steps on campus.

If he were not to get the opportunity to start until those three exhaust their eligibility, King would then compete with Brennen Wooten, the other quarterback committed to TCU for the 2016 recruiting class.

Another obstacle he faces is his size. Though there are similarities between the two, Boykin is listed at 6-foot-2, three inches taller than King's most generous measurement of 5-foot-11, his listed height on MaxPreps.

The Manvel product would see the field more quickly as a receiver given the sheer number of players the Frogs run out at the position. TCU had nine receivers who regularly rotated into games in 2014, including two true freshmen in Emanuel Porter and Desmon White. His quickness would let him easily step into a role in the slot.

Paschal's Dylan Thomas, a fellow 2016 TCU commit, is going to make the switch from quarterback to receiver. The coaching staff has also made sure to let former quarterbacks like White and Cameron Echols-Luper get chances to throw passes on trick plays.

The Frogs have also made use of former passers on defense, most recently with players like Sam Carter and Ty Summers. TCU has a history of turning high school quarterbacks into solid college players, though it isn't always at the same position.

King, however, is aiming to be the Frogs' next success story at quarterback. He has a model in Boykin, who had his share of detractors less than a year ago. The goal for King is to prove people wrong in the same way.