The good news is that the 6-foot-2, 195 pounder from Chandler, Arizona appears equal to the task, at least in the mind of BYU’s defensive braintrust.

Prassas’s current task? Taking on the role of starting nickel corner, a position typically reserved for smaller and shiftier-type players, such as Jakob Robinson and Jonathan Kabeya, who was assumed to be the team’s starting player at the position following spring practices. But Kabeya isn’t listed on the depth chart, at all, likely due to an injury he sustained during fall practices.

Enter Prassas.

The process of moving Prassas from the safety room to the cornerback group was initiated by BYU Defensive Coordinator Jay Hill, who has regaled the work done by all his safeties throughout preseason practices.

“Jay is always ahead of everybody, so he first suggested it and I was all for it,” said BYU cornerbacks Coach Jenaro Gilford. “So we tried him out there and from day one he’s proven up to it. He also has the physicality to do more than just cover from the position, so we’re definitely excited about that.”

As mentioned, Prassas saw ample playing time throughout his true freshman season, playing in all 13 games while tallying 20 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery.

“From day one he’s been impressive,” Gilford noted. “He’s shown that he can cover man-to-man since he got here and I’m very comfortable in his ability to play very well for us at nickel.”

For those that pay attention, BYU employs five defensive backs frequently throughout most games, and not exclusively during obvious passing downs. It’s therefore made the nickel corner position more than just an occasional feature of the defense, but as a staple position that sees a lot of reps, particularly versus spread offenses.

Prassas hasn’t abandoned playing safety, and has spent ample time with both the safety and cornerback position groups during group meetings and film study throughout August. Fortunately Prassas did the prep necessary to take on his somewhat unique role throughout the summer.

“I spent all offseason training to play corner, at least technique-wise,” Prassas said. “So I knew I could do it, and I knew there’d be the possibility and now I’m excited for the opportunity. It’s definitely an adjustment in that you’re responsible to cover the opposing team’s slot receivers, but everything else is pretty much what I’m used to as far as zone coverages go.”

When asked which position he prefers, Prassas is leaning toward his new position.

“There’s just a lot more action,” he said. “It can get a little boring in the post, just sitting there, waiting for them to throw deep. But at nickel you get to blitz, play man and do basically everything. So it’s a lot of fun.”

“He’ll be making similar plays that he did in the past. The difference really is that he’ll just be playing closer to the line of scrimmage and he’ll probably blitz a little more. He’ll definitely be covering man-on-man more. That’s the biggest difference, but he’s up to it,” Gilford added. “It’s a good spot for him to showcase all of his skills. He’s come from a good program in Basher (High School) and he was an early enrollee. He came in ready and has put in a lot of work since arriving.”

Showcasing a variety of skillsets on the field impresses NFL scouts, too.

“That was a big point that Jay Hill brought up when discussed making the switch,” Prassas said. “NFL scouts will see that I can play well in the box and in the post. So this switch can be a huge plus for me as far as all that goes.”

Prassas will receive his first opportunity to showcase his versatility when BYU takes on Portland State this coming Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Should he mirror, or even improve upon his promising form last season, the position switch should work well for both himself and for the entirety of the Cougar defense.