In one of the strangest draft day stories of all time, a 2015 first-round OT prospect and SEC’s top offensive lineman out of a huge program went undrafted.
LSU’s La’el Collins was interviewed in connection to a double homicide and the whirlwind of media selection had him stock plummet despite never being considered a suspect. Collins previously dated the victim, and was only brought in because her daughter mentioned his named and the investigators were being thorough. In an assume-the-worst world, the damage to his reputation was done and Rounds 1 through three came and went without his name being selected.
As Day 3 went deeper, Collins and his representation altered their strategy and no longer wanted to hear his name call, preferring to hit undrafted free agency. The Dallas Cowboys came away as the sweepstakes winner over 28 other teams who inquired about Collins. The Cowboys got Collins to sign a fully guaranteed contract for three years, $1.7 million and neither side has looked back. After proving his pedigree, the Cowboys honored his predraft worth by making him whole with a contract extension that ended up paying Collins what he would have made as a first rounder. He’s been a staple on the offensive line since, moving from left guard to right tackle in 2017.
The 2021 Cowboys player profile series continues with No. 71, La’el Collins.