#51 - 2nd Round - Green Bay, Nick Collins, CB, Bethune Cookman

[Hostile]

From New Orleans

Packers select...Nick Collins, CB, Bethune Cookman

[Juke99]

Nick Collins, FS+CB, Bethune Cookman
Height: Bethune Weight: Cookman University Wildcats

Overview: With the departure of All-American Rashean Mathis two years ago, the Wildcats were looking for a big-play specialist for their secondary. Collins more than filled that order, as the versatile defender established himself as one of the best pass thieves in the NCAA Division 1-AA ranks. The Dixie County High School product was a Proposition 48 casualty in 2001 at Bethune-Cookman. He started two games at strong safety in 2002, recording 35 tackles (12 solos) with a sack, two stops for losses, an interception and five pass deflections. He also had eight kickoff returns for 181 yards (22.6 avg) while playing in thirteen games that year. Collins shifted to free safety in 2003, earning All-Mid Eastern Athletic Conference honors as he totaled 54 tackles (33 solos) with a fumble recovery, six interceptions and twelve pass break-ups. The Cross City native would again earn All-MEAC honors as a senior. He collected 55 tackles (34 solos) with a fumble recovery, thirteen pass deflections and six interceptions for 108 yards in returns. In 34 games with the Wildcats, Collins registered 144 tacklers (79 solos), a 6-yard sack and 3.5 stops for losses of 23 yards while starting 23 games. He recovered three fumbles and caused another. Collins had thirty pass deflections and thirteen interceptions for 192 yards in returns with two touchdowns. He also gained 215 yards on ten kickoff returns (21.5 avg).

Analysis: Positives...Has very good overall muscle development, V-shaped upper torso, with broad shoulders and chest...Adequate in man coverage, mirroring the receiver's moves while maintaining position as the play develops...Effective jamming his man in press coverage... Allows little cushion off the line of scrimmage and shows above average straight-line speed and adequate change of direction...Shows some looseness in his hips, turning fluidly coming out of his backpedal...Will play the ball in the air, keeping eye contact on the pass and a hand on the receiver...Has the acceleration to run ball carriers down... Adjusts and times his jumps to get to the ball at its high point, showing natural hands to extend away from the body's frame in order to make the interception...Still a work in progress as a tackler, but does stay low making wrap-up tackles in space...His straight-line acceleration, leaping ability and marginal play recognition skills could see him shift outside to cornerback in the pros (plays the man better than the ball).

Negatives...More of a grabber than a striker when tackling in run support...Does not get a good jump coming back to fill the running lanes...Plays too deep in centerfield and has to hurry in order to make plays in front of him...Concentration tends to wander when he is not immediately in the play...Takes some false steps coming out of his backpedal on deep routes...Can be fooled by head fakes and play action...Struggles in run support come mostly because he takes poor angles to the ball...Despite his size, he can be overpowered by the bigger backs near the line of scrimmage...Needs to stay more alert to the receiver's double moves and will blow a coverage...Will need time to adjust to cornerback, as he needs to develop better hand usage in order to reroute and jam receivers...Might have problems with the mental aspect of the game (struggles to digest a complicated playbook).

Agility tests: CAMPUS: 4.34 in the 40-yard dash (wind-aided)...4.44 40-yard dash (against the wind, 10 mph)...275-pound bench press...350-pound squat...205-pound power clean...36-inch vertical jump...Right-handed...10/21 Wonderlic score. COMBINE: 4.37 in the 40-yard dash...2.63 20-yard dash...1.62 10-yard dash...4.16 20-yard shuttle...11.15 60-yard shuttle...6.94 three-cone drill...40-inch vertical jump...9'10" broad jump...Bench pressed 225 pounds 11 times...31-inch arm length...8 -inch hands...14 Wonderlic score.

High school: Lettered as a defensive back and running back at Dixie County (Cross City, Fla.) High School, playing football for coach Brett Wilkerson...Also lettered in basketball and track.

Personal: Physical Education major...Father was a quarterback at Bethune-Cookman...Born 8/16/83...Resides in Cross City, Florida.

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[StonetheCrow77]

another reach... did everyone but the Cowboys go crazy?

[Juke99]

Originally Posted by StonetheCrow77

another reach... did everyone but the Cowboys go crazy?

Nice for a change, right?

[StonetheCrow77]

Originally Posted by Juke99

Nice for a change, right?

amazing what happens when Lacewll stays in Arkansas and BP has his fingerprints on things... I swear, some of these picks are amazing top of the 2nd...