It’s not completely new ground for Emil Ekiyor.

The former Alabama offensive lineman actually got his first college start at center but, after three years as a guard, his project this week at the Senior Bowl is to show his versatility. He was under center in Tuesday afternoon’s practice at South Alabama

“It was a general consensus idea from what scouts were telling me,” Ekiyor said after practice wrapped. “Coach Saban said now would be a good idea to do it here. He’s the one who made the call to (Senior Bowl executive director) Jim Nagy to allow me to play center down here so it’s really Coach Saban’s advice. So you have to trust what the GOAT has to say.”

After arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2018, Ekiyor competed for playing time both center and guard. His first start came in the 2020 opener at Missouri with Mac Jones at quarterback before settling in as a starting right guard.

Facing elite defensive line talent across the ball this week in Mobile is a unique challenge.

“I think I had a solid first day,” Ekiyor said. “I’m looking forward to building off of it. I was a little rusty at center so I’m looking forward to continuing throughout the week.”

He’s been working on his shotgun snaps at a training center in Pensacola where he’s training for draft.

Former Alabama teammate and defensive end Byron Young said he got a rep against Ekiyor on Tuesday. He took a snap at nose guard instead of outside at end.

“I would probably say he won,” Young said with a grin. “I stopped my feet on the rep but I’ll get to go against him again tomorrow.”

And Ekiyor will be ready for Round 2.

The Indianapolis native was a high school All-American at center at he’s still comfortable there after a few years next door at guard.

“It’s pretty natural,” he said. “I played it my senior year of high school so I’ve practiced snapping a thousand times going into my senior year — a million times really — and it came naturally through that. It’s like riding a bike.”

The Senior Bowl is set for 1:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the South Alabama campus.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.