During Randall Cobb’s recruitment, rising junior Kyrus Lanxter had a vision of  lining up next to Cobb at the wide receiver position. In fact, the vision was so strong it made Cobb cancel his official visit to the University of Tennessee.

Lanxter and Cobb, a rising sophomore, both grew up in Alcoa, Tenn., and consider themselves brothers. They are so close, Lanxter said Cobb has a key to his house so he can stop by whenever he wants. Lanxter, Cobb’s elder by one year, said he made sure he played a major role in Cobb’s recruitment to Lexington.

“Me being in his ear is definitely the reason he came here,” Lanxter said. “He was supposed to have his official visit to Tennessee the week after he visited here, and he canceled it.”

In the time since Cobb picked the Cats over the Volunteers, Lanxter’s vision hasn’t fully panned out. Cobb played a majority of his first season at quarterback — his high school position — and not at receiver.

Now entering his sophomore year, UK head coach Rich Brooks has decided to move Cobb to wide receiver. Even though Cobb said he knew he was built to play receiver (citing his 5-foot-11 frame), the coaches thought the team would be better last year with him under center.

Big Blue Nation saw the potential the coaches saw, as Cobb made waves across the conference with his quarterback play. He completed 52 passes for 542 yards and five touchdowns, ran for 316 yards and seven touchdowns, and caught 21 passes for two touchdowns. He also returned punts, averaging eight yards a return.

While he won’t be playing what he considers his natural position, Cobb said he is happy to be playing receiver.

“I think only concentrating on one position will help both me and the team,” Cobb said. “I’ll be able to get way better at one position and prepare myself and my team going into next season.”

While the position switch comes with having to learn different routes and coverage, Cobb said he’s ready just to get back out to the field and play football. He also said everyone could tell he was going to be a wide receiver and not a quarterback. It doesn’t affect Cobb, who said he is OK because he’s “still playing the game of football.”

Thinking about lining up at receiver and catching touchdown passes — something he also did last year, as he caught the game-winner against Arkansas — has Cobb excited.

“I love it,” Cobb said of the switch. “I love lining up and running by a guy for a touchdown catch, or making a big block to spring a running back. It’s just fun.”