This is the kind of young man you want on your football team. http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2013/03/lsu_left_tackle_lael_collins_s.html
I'm still surprised that Collins is at left tackle, he is such a force at guard. He's the shortest of our tackles, who usually need the leverage that height gives to keep those quick defensive ends off of the QB. I suppose that Stud is working Pocic at Center to get him into the lineup quickly, but with his size (6-7) and quickness (285 pounds) you have to figure he's going to get a look at LT at some point.
Is height really that crucial? I was taught in HS that the lowest man wins. Get up under the pads and drive...stand your man up! Of course, I was D-line...maybe it's different.
That vertical leverage still applies in the running game. But in most pass blocking, its about balance and position. It's horizontal leverage that is needed here, especially on the outside. Quick, Clowney-type defensive ends can beat tackles to the outside, so tall tackles use that height to push them outside of the pocket. Not that Collins is short at 6-5, but he'll have to be very quick to get in front of a quick DE on the outside. Pocic would have 2 more inches of leverage to the outside before he even moved his feet.
Wingspan makes a difference here too. Pocic might be 2 inches taller, but he and Collins might have similar wingspans. If Collins has a similar reach but better footspeed, then he's probably the better option at tackle right now. Pass blocking as a LT is a lot like jabbing in boxing. Reach and athletic ability is as important, if not more important, than general height/size. That said, I have no idea what they're respective wingspans are, just stating that it could make a difference as well.
Regardless of where he plays, he sounds like the kind of guy that we want, need, and will be thankful for having!
I like what Collin's did during the season last year, seemed to get better every game. Josh D did a good job at OT last year, he handled the position very well. They have a number of OT's in the NFL playing at 6'4". You can play the position, or you can't. Collins has the Spring to get into the position, we'll see how this works out. I'll be keeping an eye on him during the Spring game.
