More on La'el : La'el Collins' stock soaring Sonny Shipp - 72 minutes ago La’el Collins returned to LSU for his senior season with the hopes of improving his draft stock and after a stellar senior season and an impressive week at the Senior Bowl his stock is soaring. One NFL Mock Draft withCBSSport.com now has the big 6-foot-5, 325-pounder at No. 10 overall, a pick that is being forecast going to the St. Louis Rams. As a senior, Collins earned the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the SEC that was voted on by the league’s coaches. He finished his career with 222.5 knockdowns and projects as someone who can play right tackle or guard at the next level.
More info: MOBILE, Ala. — La'el Collins could have easily skipped out on the Senior Bowl. It's not abnormal for top players to turn down the invitation. Collins accepted the challenge and he's showing why he's a highly regarded player. During Day 2 of the Senior Bowl South practices at Ladd Peebles Stadium, Collins showed off a complete game. In drills against defensive linemen, Collins used his power to stop Mississippi State's Preston Smith with ease. On a screen drill, he pancaked Georgia linebacker Amarlo Herrera in space. On another he was lined up as a left guard – which some consider his best position in the NFL – and he looked good.
I hope it works out for the other guys that stayed this year as well. Maybe we can truly reverse the trend, at least on the line positions. The beasts will and should leave early if they have nothing more to prove, but if La'el gets drafted 10th or even in the top 20, it will give reason to pause for some of the borderline guys. Thank you Mr. Collins!
I agree, many are not ready, but that doesn't stop them. I too hope many stay, and this maybe a way of changing the trend. I haven't had time to look at where I think the guys that left early may fall in this years draft. Last year I thought Craig Loston would get drafted and make a team, only got that one half right. He didn't get drafted, but did make an NFL team. I thought Trai Turner would go higher than most thought, some said he wouldn't get drafted. After signing day and Super Bowl is when I really start looking at draft placement. I got an invite to a Super Bowl Party with a number of friends.
Nice writeup, still a ways till draft time, but some are starting to make projections. My take on Collins, he was beat out by White and Robinson, when called up after RR was let go, he didn't miss a beat, as a CB in the NFL. You have to forget the last play and get ready for the next one. That's mental football, some have it, some don't. Every team needs CB's, before the draft the year Tharold Simon came out, I said that he was the kind of player the Seahawks drafted, tall, long armed, more and more teams are looking at these kinds of players. With the flexing out of the TE's more larger CB's are needed. Ok, now to the writeup: 2015 NFL Mock Draft: Steelers select a new cornerback Jalen Collins isn't a name that's been tossed around much, even though mock drafts have sent nearly every other cornerback available to theSteelers with the 22nd pick. The big, physical and raw LSU cornerback makes for an intriguing pick, and one a prominent draft site has going to Pittsburgh in April. Writes Charlie Campbell of Walter Football: Collins totaled 38 tackles, nine passes broken up and an interception in 2014. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is a long corner who has some athleticism and is extremely fast. Sources say that he times well and could be a star of the Combine. While he doesn't always play up to his skill set, Collins showed his surprising speed when he chased down Melvin Gordon on a long run in the 2014 season opener. Big cornerbacks who can run like Collins are tough to find. However, he needs development in playing the ball and improving his ball skills. It's not a stretch to think Collins' star is on the rise. Watching his film, it does appear he'll test well at the Combine, likely sending him down in the minds of those who do not feel those who show athletic skill at the event are worthy of consideration. Those who can cover, though, are. And those who are willing to tackle are even better.
Six former LSU players invited to the NFL Combine Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- As LSU quarterback Anthony Jennings (10) watches, LSU running back Terrence Magee (18) looks for running room as Notre Dame cornerback Cole Luke (36) and Notre Dame safety Elijah Shumate (22) move in to make the stop during the first half Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014 in Nashville at the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. Advocate story Feb. 06, 2015 By OERB — With a unified commitment to energy independence, job creation and environmental stewardship, Oklahomans are proudly leading the nation to energy self-sufficiency. Continue reading → Six former LSU players were invited to the NFL combine, including all three underclassmen who passed on their senior years. Left tackle La’el Collins, running backs Terrence Magee and Kenny Hilliard, and underclassmen defensive end Danielle Hunter, linebacker Kwon Alexander and cornerback Jalen Collins were invited to the event in Indianapolis.
As I said about the taller guys and the Hawks, here is another write-up: The Seattle Seahawks have set a precedent for most NFL teams that in terms of secondary players, bigger is better. Everyone wants a 6-3 cover corner like Richard Sherman or a 6-4 safety like Kam Chancellor, guys that are big, fast, athletic, and stick on defenders like white on rice. In the college game, a lot more of those players over six-feet tall are now transitioning to the defensive side of the football rather than just defaulting to the wide receiver position, and NFL teams are now getting bigger and longer at the cornerback position as a result. One player who is the prototype for what the NFL is looking for in terms of size at the position is LSU cornerback Jalen Collins, who checks in at 6-2, 198 pounds. Collins is big, long, athletic, has great deep speed, and even has dreadlocks like (or perhaps longer than) Richard Sherman. Okay, so in the grand scheme of things, the dreadlocks don’t really matter, but you get the picture. Coming from one of the top programs in the SEC, Collins is obviously going to be highly regarded coming into the NFL, but he only has 10 collegiate starts under his belt and with the way that LSU moves and rotates their defensive backfield, he finished his junior season with just 38 tackles and one interception. Still, scouts have seen enough of Collins to get that: A. He is a big, long, athletic player and B. He has a lot of upside because of it. In the NFL draft, that is sometimes a huge plus and a huge downfall. Guys who don’t have a ton of tape from college might get pushed down boards because the sample size is not large enough, and teams want to know exactly what they are investing these high picks in. However, some see enough of what they need to see, and are willing to pull the trigger earlier than others might. At 6-2 198, Collins is going to force NFL teams to dissect his 10 college starts to determine if he is worth a second or third round pick, or if they should wait until the fourth or fifth rounds to cash in on both the value and his upside. It only takes one team, but let’s look at Collins as a player and see what we can see. The first thing that jumps out at me about Collins is obviously his size — and his hair — but what I don’t overly like seeing is a lack of violent hand usage with his longer arms in press coverage. I think an NFL team can certainly work with Collins on that, but it’s something to be cognizant of going forward. The biggest advantage bigger corners have is just that — they are bigger — and if they don’t utilize it properly they are going to get burned. Speaking of… Collins is consistently beaten inside by the Notre Dame receiver in that first clip. He reacts to the play well, but the receiver beats him on a deep slant/go/curl down the field and then on a quick slant later in the game. Now, what Collins does well is excel in man coverage, so any corner might have these types of plays on his game reel, but it’s something to keep an eye on. Collins shows he is a willing and able tackler when he wants to be, and he takes good angles and reads the play pretty well for as raw and inexperienced as he is. Overall, I think this is a really solid prospect with some nice upside. I would not take him in the first round but I would if I had a pick in the mid-late second round and then fire at will in round three if I felt like I could get him there. I think with his size and speed, there’s no way he’s going to last until day three of the draft based on measurables alone. I definitely think he’s raw, but the upside is there and he showed enough this past year to receive a second or third round grade from me.
The Saints and a LSU Player: A look at players in the later rounds... 1. Jermauria Rasco, DE/OLB, LSU Suited for a blitz-happy 3-4 scheme like Rob Ryan‘s, Rasco boasts great position flexibility, but will likely find more success standing up at outside linebacker. The LSU Tiger shows incredible awareness, rarely being fooled. He has some work to do in order to become a consistent pass rusher, but his toughness, change of direction and excellent pursuit abilities will make the Shreveport, LA native tough to pass on in the later rounds. With some good coaching in Baton Rouge under defensive coordinator John Chavis, Rasco is well-prepared for life at the next level and would be a great fit for the New Orleans Saints. http://whodatdish.com/2015/02/09/new-orleans-saints-nfl-draft-prospects-5-potential-late-round-gems/
NFL draft diary: LSU's versatile La'el Collins eyes left tackle job Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports 4:42 p.m. EST February 9, 2015 USA TODAY Sports has assembled a talented team of prospects to chronicle their paths to the NFL draft. Today's entry is from LSU offensive lineman La'el Collins, a three-year starter for the Tigers who earned second-team All-America honors as a senior and is a likely first-round draft pick. I realized I was bigger than most kids in elementary school. We used to have desks that I didn't even fit in, so I had to get a bigger desk than everybody. At first, it definitely made me feel weird. Being that kid that had the different desk in the classroom felt unnatural and made me feel a little bit left out. But as I got older and started playing sports, I realized that, 'Oh, OK, this is why I'm big.' I understood it. It actually made me feel good about myself. My mom, my dad, my grandmother, my grandfather — my whole family — has pretty much been blessed with athletic ability. Growing up, I was able to see my sister run track in high school and college. Everybody was there to see me play sports. We were there to watch my brother David play sports all the way up to college — he's on the LSU track team — and my younger sister is playing basketball right now. Being a part of all that keeps our family real close-knit. I grew up in Baton Rouge, La., with my brother and three sisters. I'm the middle child. There were times my mom worked two and three jobs because she had to raise all five of her kids by herself. She did security. When I was in first grade, she was delivering pizza for her night job, and she got in a bad accident. She didn't work for three or four years. That was really tough for her. But during that time, we were able to have a lot of time with my mom. I learned a lot. It also brought my siblings and me closer together. We always have to look out for each other, always have to be there for one another. My dad was incarcerated. He just got out about six months ago. We've been trying to build a relationship, trying to get to know each other. That's a difficult situation for anybody. But at the same time, I really believe everything happens for a reason. Not having my dad there really helped me grow and mature at an earlier age so that certain mistakes I might have made not knowingly, I don't make those mistakes. My mom has always been real with us, always told us what to look out for, been that person to really lean on. I was part of a great class at LSU — guys like Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Jeremy Hill, Anthony Johnson. Being able to come in with guys like that and be a part of something special like going to the national championship my first year, winning the conference championship my first year, it all went into my decision-making of where to go to college. Plus I wanted to leave a legacy in my hometown. Knowing that I was able to do that makes me really feel good. Left tackle is definitely where I want to play in the NFL. But I feel like I can play at any position on the offensive line. I'm still going to work my hardest to be the best at that position, work my hardest to compete and just keep that mindset and be able to go out there and really play ball. I feel like every aspect of my life I need to improve on. I'm continuing to work on run plays, on pass protection, technique, hand placement with a guy named Todd Weiner (former Falcons tackle) down in Atlanta. Being able to work on those things, focus on that and sharpen up on all my board work is really going to help me be the player I want to be. I learned a lot just being around NFL coaching at the Senior Bowl, being able to get a feel for a practice on an NFL team, being interviewed by coaches and GMs, getting a feel for what they're looking for and the type of guy that they want to bring in. I tell them La'el Collins is a guy that is, first of all, a strong believer in his faith and really believes in loyalty, trust and hard work. And I love football. I love the game. I love everything about it. It really has blessed me and put me in position to where I am today. I want to be the best tackle in the game. I'm going to continue to work and prepare myself that way. I want to come in and learn everything that I need to know and get on the field as early as possible. I want a team to be able to trust me that I can get myself on the field and be ready to go. Everything else, I'll take from there.
Former LSU OT La'el Collins seeks to break Tigers' long first-round NFL Draft drought INDIANAPOLIS - Former LSU offensive tackle La'el Collins is a popular guy at the NFL Scouting Combine. He's got meetings with 22 different teams set up at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine here. What he wants them to know is that he's ready for anything and any position. Collins appears likely to become the first LSU offensive lineman in 17 years to be drafted in the first round and the first Tiger offensive tackle in 49 years. Guard or tackle, left or right, Collins message is that his confidence tells him he can handle whatever the NFL has for him. What does he want NFL coaches, scouts and officials to take away from their meetings with him? "A guy that's extremely confident in his play and his ability, that's looking to come into the NFL and be coached at a very high level, a guy that wants to be the best at the next level, ready to compete," he said. "That's why I looked forward to being here, going through all the drills. That's why I was down in Mobile a couple weeks ago to show the teams I don't have anything to hide. I'm willing to compete against anybody. A lot of teams told me I'm their favorite offensive lineman. They've asked me if I can slide to the right (tackle) side and maybe in two years come over to the left. Or could I come in right now and play left? I feel very confident in what I do. For me it wouldn't be a problem." There's plenty of proof from his college game tape where he lettered in his first year and started the next three. He played guard as a sophomore and then held down the left tackle spot for the last two. He projects as a right tackle or guard because of his superior run-blocking skills and has been labeled as a "brawler" who has a "mean streak" when he's run blocking. Another analyst said he's perhaps the best run blocker among draftable offensive linemen. Collins revealed some of that attitude comes from his mentality of playing like a defender. "When I started playing football, I played more defense than offense,"he said. "I made the transition and always had the mentally of a defensive guy. I was able to bring that over to the offensive side, but also bring the intelligence over as well to play the offensive line position." Staying in school for his senior year was a wise choice. He was projected a second or third round pick at this time last year but improved immensely. He made All -American and received the SEC's Jacobs Trophy for the league's best blocker. Collins looks like a sure bet to go no lower than the latter part of the first round, but is hoping a good combine performance can move him up the chart. The last LSU offensive lineman picked in the first round was eight time All Pro guard Alan Faneca, the 26th pick by the Steelers in 1998. It takes going back to 1966 when George Rice was chosen by the AFL's Houston Oilers to find a first-round Tiger offensive tackle. Rice was a two-way player better known for his defensive abilities. Collins said he's proud of the heritage in which he's following. LSU has had at least one first round pick in each of the past four drafts and 10 of the last 11. "Everything we do at LSU definitely prepares you for this," he said. "That's why I feel extremely confident. You look around the NFL almost every team you see an LSU guy stepping up to the plate and contributing. I feel like I'm just the next guy to do it." http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2015/02/former_lsu_ot_lael_collins_see.html#incart_river
