Lamar Jackson: 'No teams have asked me to play wide receiver'

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson has no plans to work out as a wide receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Jackson denied he had been asked by teams to work out as a wide receiver this week.

"No teams have asked me to play wide receiver," Jackson said. "I don't even know where it comes from, I'm strictly a quarterback." Jackson added, "I thought I did a good job at quarterback" while at Louisville.

While appearing on NFL Now on Saturday morning, Jackson said he wasn't asked during team interviews if he would work out at wide receiver. When asked whether he feels disrespected when people say he should be a wide receiver in the NFL, he responded: "Absolutely. It's a lot of quarterbacks who was able to have my ability to make people miss but they never labeled them as a wide receiver. So, I feel I should have a chance at quarterback."

Good Morning Football's Peter Schrager reported Friday that multiple NFL teams had submitted requests for Jackson to work out at wide receiver during the combine. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reiterated Saturday morning that teams did make the request, although there is a possibility Jackson was unaware of it when he spoke to the media Friday.

The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner certainly seems very accomplished as a passer. He passed for 9,043 yards and 69 touchdowns during his three seasons with Louisville. He also caught a grand total of zero passes for zero yards. He was, however, one of the nation's greatest ground threats, racking up 4,132 rushing yards and 50 rushing scores in 38 games.

Citing Jackson's size, athleticism and questionable accuracy, some analysts, most notably former Bills and Colts GM Bill Polian, have suggested that Jackson should change positions at the next level. That view point is not necessarily shared by all of the coaches and GMs making personnel decisions.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, for instance, have no interest in seeing Jackson work out at any other position.

"Yeah, I'm not much on that," Reid said Wednesday. "I want to bring him in. Let's exhaust that other thing that we know he's good at and see. I'm just saying in general. This is a general statement: Let's get him in and let him wing it a little bit and see how he does. We'll be able to fit some things in there I'm sure."

Newsome said Friday, "On our board, he's a quarterback."

Jackson also said that he doesn't plan to run the 40-yard dash Saturday, but he will throw. He added that he might throw during his pro day.