Tag: Nico Collins

Nico Collins signed with an agent, Michigan football future unclear

Reports that the Michigan football wideout is opting out comes with the news that he reportedly signed with an agent.

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With good news comes — other news.

We already know that Jalen Mayfield’s Michigan career is done, as his father told Detroit Free Press writer Orion Sang that he will not reconsider his decision to enter the 2021 NFL Draft. While we know that Ambry Thomas signed with an agent, we don’t know if he’ll petition to return to school for his final season of eligibility.

But, under the radar, it seems that Nico Collins also signed with an agent as well.

SI’s Albert Breer:

Per NFLPA records, five of the eight have signed with agents—Bateman (Blake Baratz), Mayfield (CAA), Parsons (David Mulugheta), Slater (CAA) and Thomas (Drew Rosenhaus). In addition to those guys, a third Michigan player, Nico Collins, has signed (Rosenhaus).

SI’s Michigan site first reported that Collins had opted out, seemingly before the Big Ten announced officially it was restoring the 2020 fall football season.

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But, just as ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren reported that players who signed with agents could apply to have their student-athlete status reinstated, prominent lawyer Tom Mars told The Athletic ($) that given the Big Ten’s messaging, it would be difficult to keep players who want to suit up one more year at the college level away from the game.

Tom Mars, an attorney who has successfully acted on the behalf of players in cases against the NCAA, makes the point that under these extraordinary circumstances, someone who did accept benefits would indeed have a strong case to come back.

“The fact that the commissioner said the decision will ‘not be revisited’ and that these guys relied on that statement would allow the NCAA to bring these guys back without setting any precedent that would create a problem down the road,” Mars told The Athletic on Wednesday. “These are extraordinary circumstances that are never going to occur again. Because the Big Ten commissioner was so definitive, with no contradictory statement ever being made by the conference until today, there is a unique flexibility for the NCAA to allow these players to come back — including those who accepted insignificant benefits.

“If Kevin Warren hadn’t made that statement, I don’t think the players who declared for the NFL draft and accepted benefits would have a prayer of being declared eligible.

As of yet, Collins has yet to make any kind of statement as to his future. We’ll wait and see if he decides to opt back in, or attempt to rejoin the team at this juncture.

Another way-too-early mock draft sends Big Ten WR to Packers

Todd McShay’s first mock draft of 2021 sent Michigan WR Nico Collins to the Packers.

In June, Draft Wire’s way-too-early mock draft had the Green Bay Packers taking Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman in the first round.

Another summer mock draft predicts the Packers will dip into the Big Ten for a different playmaking wide receiver.

In the first 2021 mock draft from ESPN’s Todd McShay, the Packers were given Michigan receiver Nico Collins at No. 18 overall (the draft order was determined by ESPN’s Football Power Index).

McShay described Collins as a “physical beast” with “plenty of vertical speed.”

As a junior in 2019, Collins caught 37 passes for 729 yards. He led Michigan in touchdown catches with seven and led the Big Ten in yards per reception at 19.7. Michigan named him the team’s offensive player of the year.

In November, Collins dominated Indiana, catching six passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns, all career-bests.

The Packers’ need for long-term help at receiver is no secret, despite GM Brian Gutekunst bypassing the position during the 2020 draft. The team signed veteran Devin Funchess in March, and he’ll be back in 2021 after opting out of the 2020 season. This year, the Packers are banking on young players such as Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown to provide complementary options behind Davante Adams, a three-time Pro Bowler.

Collins certainly has the size (6-4, 215) that the Packers like at receiver, and his big-play ability down the field could add another element to the passing game, especially if Valdes-Scantling struggles to bounce back from a disappointing second season in 2020.

Over the last two seasons, Collins has 75 catches for 1,361 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The Big Ten postponed the fall season due to COVID-19 concerns.

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2021 NFL Draft: 11 Big Ten prospects the Eagles should target after the conference cancels season

11 Big-Ten prospect the Eagles should target in the 2021 NFL Draft

The Big Ten will be without college football this fall after conference presidents and chancellors voted Tuesday to postpone all fall sports seasons, including football, amid the coronavirus pandemic with the hopes of playing in the spring.

With the college football season now in doubt and in the NFL Draft in the spring, here are 11 Big Ten standouts the should Eagles target:

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1. Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

A 5-foot-9 dynamo, Moore committed to Purdue during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl after changing his mind about Texas.

Moore recorded 1,164 receiving yards and 203 rushing yards to go along with thirteen combined touchdowns. Moore’s 2,048 all-purpose yards were the most since Dorien Bryant recorded 2,121 in 2007, and the second-most in Purdue history.

Moore only played in four games last season but is still projected to be a first-round pick.

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Mock draft watch: Browns build pass defense in Draft Wire’s latest 3-rounder

Two good pass defenders and two WRs make up the projected haul

Our good friends at Draft Wire have released their latest projections for the first three rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft. Who will the Browns land when they step to the podium in Public Square in downtown Cleveland next spring?

In the first round, the Browns tab Oregon safety Jevon Holland with the No. 16 overall pick. Holland is a nifty coverage safety who also doubles as the Ducks’ primary return man. He’s at his best marking TEs and RBs in the passing game, an area of concern for the Browns right now.

Chazz Surratt, a do-it-all type of linebacker from North Carolina, comes to Cleveland in the second round. He started his UNC career as a quarterback (he was their initial replacement for Mitchell Trubisky) before finding his rightful home at linebacker.

Another Tar Heel, wideout Dazz Newsome, is the projection in the third round. Newsome brings an explosive element to the slot receiver position. It’s Michigan WR Nico Collins as the Browns’ second pick in the third round, acquired from the Saints.

3 Wolverines make DraftWire’s latest three-round 2021 mock NFL draft

We’re seeing a handful of Wolverines make 2021 mock drafts for the first time.

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We still don’t know whether or not we’ll have either a college football or NFL season in 2020, but plans are for both leagues to move forward with significant contingencies. But that hasn’t stopped our friends over at DraftWire from projecting who could make names for themselves this season and subsequently find themselves picked early in the 2021 NFL Draft.

In June, our sister site had two Wolverines going in the first two-rounds of its too-early mock draft, with Jalen Mayfield going in the first and Aidan Hutchinson going in the second. However, there have been some changes in the site’s late July edition, with Mayfield slipping to the second-round and Hutchinson — who would be an early entrant to the draft as it were — not making the cut in the new three-round projection.

But still, DraftWire’s Luke Easterling had three Michigan players being selected in the first three rounds, even if the maize and blue aren’t represented in the opening foray of the NFL draft.

Second Round

  • No. 33 – OT Jalen Mayfield – Washington Football Team
  • No. 60 – DE Kwity Paye – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Third Round

  • No. 93 – WR Nico Collins – Cleveland Browns (from New Orleans)

Mayfield dropping to the top of the second-round would be a disappointment, but it still shows he’s being thought of as an elite talent who, at worst, if he leaves for the NFL with a year of eligibility remaining, would be a Day Two pick.

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The Kwity Paye pick would be interesting, given that he would be joining forces with new Buccaneers QB Tom Brady, who spent 2019 in New England with former Michigan DE Chase Winovich. By all accounts, the two former Wolverines formed something of a bond in their single-year overlap in Foxborough.

Even more interesting is Nico Collins in the third-round to Cleveland. The Browns not only already have Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, but signed Collins’ Michigan counterpart in Donovan Peoples-Jones, who the franchise selected in the sixth-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. We still hold that Collins is a greater talent than being a third-round selection, but he’ll need a big year, statistically speaking, to move up into the first two rounds of the forthcoming NFL draft.

Two Wolverines make The Athletic’s 2020 ‘freaks’ list, with one at the very top

Two Wolverines made the annual breakdown, including one Michigan DE who came out as the No. 1 player on the list.

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Make no mistake about it: Michigan has talent on its roster. And while stargazers tend to prioritize the five-star recruits over all, sometimes, it’s the less heralded that end up becoming stars.

Such is the case for one Wolverine who came to Ann Arbor as a lowly-rated three-star recruit who now tops The Athletic‘s annual ‘Football Freaks’ list as compiled by writer Bruce Feldman. ($)

Hailing from Rhode Island — not exactly a powerhouse state of athletic talent — Kwity Paye was the fourth-lowest rated recruit that the Wolverines brought in during the 2017 recruiting cycle. When he committed, swaths of Michigan fans questioned who he was and why the maize and blue would take a chance on but a lowly three-star while they were building a Top 5 class nationally.

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Fast forward to today, and Paye isn’t just a returning starter on the defensive line. He’s the top-rated player of the 50 that Feldman picked as the freakiest athletes in all of college football heading into the 2020 season.

1. Kwity Paye, Michigan, defensive end

Freakiest attribute: Speed in the 3-cone drill

The Wolverines have a few special athletes on their defensive line (Aidan Hutchinson also possesses impressive agility for his size), but the 6-4, 271-pound Paye (50 tackles, 12.5 for loss, 6.5 sacks) has generated a lot of buzz among the NFL scouting community for some remarkable wheels. He clocked the second-best 3-cone time on the team at a blistering 6.37 seconds, which would have topped anyone at the 2020 combine. Paye’s 40 is also moving at 4.57, with a solid 34-inch vertical and 30 reps on the bench press. Paye’s 40 time and 4.15 pro shuttle time are better than any D-lineman or edge player who tested at the 2020 combine. His 11.3 time in the 60-yard shuttle is also elite.

Paye, a former high school running back who reported to Ann Arbor at 228 pounds, was a member of a state championship 4×100 meter relay team in high school and also won a state title in the long jump, going 21 feet, 5 inches as a junior. He has a rare blend of strength, control and balance and his change of direction is probably even better than former Wolverine Freak Rashan Gary.

He’s not the only Wolverine to make the list, however.

Another player was selected by Feldman, but it’s one that Michigan fans have been excited about since day one. And we’re only starting to recently see his potential.

We’re talking about WR Nico Collins, who opted to return for his senior year, following a season where he came down with most passes thrown his way — or was on the receiving end of a defensive pass interference call.

Given that offensive coordinator Josh Gattis posted about Collins’ speed this offseason during winter conditioning, big things are in store for the senior wideout if he has a quarterback that can put the ball in his vicinity.

47. Nico Collins, Michigan, wide receiver

Freakiest attribute: Agility

Josh Gattis has produced a bunch of big-time receivers over the past decade, and Collins is the latest in the pipeline. Last season the Alabama native caught 37 passes for 729 yards with a team-leading seven touchdowns and 19.7 yards per catch. The 6-4, 222-pound senior is a very dynamic athlete, running the 40 in the 4.4s, and his coached rave about his toughness and body control.

While some schools boast more than two selections — Penn State has four — it should be noted that rival Ohio State, for all of the talk of superior talent, also had two players make the list: currently injured running back Master Teague and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai.

Michigan WR Nico Collins appears to be switching to iconic jersey number

The Wolverines standout will wear the iconic jersey given the the top wide receiver on the team, historically.

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You knew this had to be happening — and No. 4 is no more.

It’s long been a tradition for the most standout, prolific Michigan wide receiver to wear the No. 1 jersey. From Anthony Carter to Braylon Edwards, it’s been something of a heralded tradition. However, in the past decade-plus, it hasn’t been as sacred of a number as it once was.

As of current, cornerback Ambry Thomas wears No. 1 on defense, and in 2017, sophomore Kekoa Crawford sported the No. 1 jersey as a wide receiver — despite not having any accolades. It didn’t have quite the cache it did once before.

But, Michigan seems intent to bring that back. Nico Collins, who announced in January after the VRBO Citrus Bowl that he was returning for his senior year, took to his Instagram story to further announce that he’s switching from No. 4 to the No. 1 jersey for 2020.

It was first reported on Twitter by Rivals.com’s Clayton Sayfie.

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Collins isn’t the only Wolverine who’s changed his jersey number in advance of the 2020 season. Enigmatic athlete Giles Jackson and true freshman cornerback Andre Seldon were announced this offseason that they would be the first in Michigan history to wear the No. 0 jersey.

ESPN names Michigan’s most exciting player heading into 2020 season

Why the Worldwide Leader expects the senior WR to be the player to watch for the Wolverines.

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This week, Athlon Sports named sophomore and former five-star Daxton Hill as one of its 35 breakout players in 2020 across all of college football, but who will the true star be?

ESPN has a pretty good idea.

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Though ‘breakout’ and ‘most exciting’ aren’t exactly the same thing, the Worldwide Leader’s Tom VanHaaren attempted to pin who on the maize and blue will be the most fun to watch on the Wolverines this season, as ESPN put together a list of the most exciting players on each of the Top 25 ranked teams.

And it’s no surprise that a senior wide receiver was his choice.

15. Michigan Wolverines: WR Nico Collins

This one is tough because Michigan has some young receivers in Giles Jackson and Mike Sainristil who could end up being standout players this season. Incoming freshman A.J. Henning could see the field as well. Ronnie Bell has made a ton of plays for Michigan and looks primed to do it again, but the one who really stands out with the opportunity to make a big impact is Collins. He led the team with 758 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season and with Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black both gone on the outside, Collins should be a big part of Michigan’s offense. — VanHaaren

Certainly, Collins already has big play potential, and showed that off in 2019. While Ronnie Bell led the team in receiving yards, Collins, at times, felt under-utilized, given his propensity to bring down 50-50 balls and win against defensive backs.

Days after WolverinesWire reported that he was set to return for his senior year, Collins announced in January that he was returning to the team for one final season. Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis shared his mindset in a press conference via Zoom last month:

“The challenge for Nico was – and we met quite a bit towards the end of the season – I love the fact that Nico said, ‘Coach, I want to stay and develop.’ But the challenge that Nico had was, he was another guy that missed all offseason last year. When Nico started off the season, he had just got cleared two weeks before the season started. He missed all offseason with some surgery he (had) – but he’s a tough kid. He played all the previous year beat up a little bit. But he had missed that huge, significant chunk of developmental time, that guys make from January to August.

“So when he started off the season, he was just running off everything he had done the year before. He hadn’t had a chance to get his body the way he wanted. Hadn’t had a chance to develop his skill set. And that was something that he felt he wanted to work on. And let me say that, too – the body of work even with last year was very, very impressive. I think that Nico Collins, I firmly believe, is one of the best receivers in all of college football.

And when you look at statistically, his numbers match up there.

“But the thing now, he had a great offseason. Timed extremely well in the 40s. Really ran a fast time and ran out a 4.4 – 4.45, when we timed it in the winter. So I think he’s just excited having a healthy offseason. Because that can go so far for you. And he also battled some little, nagging injuries during the season last year and missed some time in the Middle Tennessee State game and he missed the Illinois game. So now he feels that his body’s finally healthy. He’s able to work on his craft. It’s gonna pay off huge for him. And I can’t be more excited about who he is as a player, as a young man and as a leader. Big time future. Big time future, Nico Collins.”

The hype behind Collins is legit, as he continues to get mentions from the fan base as a potential wearer of the No. 1 jersey heading into 2020.

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Power Ranking: Michigan football future NFL draft potential

Where we envision the current crop of Wolverines to be drafted as of today if not much changes between now and next year.

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The 2020 NFL Draft is firmly in the rearview, but that means we can start taking a look towards the 2021 draft for the potential of those currently on the Michigan team.

The Wolverines had a tied second-best haul this past April, sending 10 players to the league — behind only LSU, who had 14. Could 2021 see even more of the maize and blue hear their name called by Commissioner Roger Goodell?

It’s certainly possible, even though Michigan is reloading on both sides of the ball. But, one could argue, that Jim Harbaugh is building a program more adept at sending more players to the pros.

So, we took all of the starter-quality players — and a likely starter, hence we’re not prognosticating a quarterback or a player who’s not the obvious winner at his position — who are entering their third year or beyond to estimate as of right now where they could go in the 2021 NFL Draft.

It’s a feature we very well could update during the season as it progresses.

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Future NFL draft Power Rankings:

1. Jalen Mayfield

Unsurprisingly, the top guy we picked is the one that ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. foresees as a future first-round draft pick.

2019 was Mayfield’s first year as a starter, but he already has the body to be an NFL caliber tackle, and he’s shown his prowess on the offensive line, helping contain Ohio State’s No. 2 pick overall in Chase Young in The Game this past November.

Linemen from either side of the ball from Michigan are more likely to be early-round picks, as evidenced by some of the latest first-round picks in the Jim Harbaugh era: Cesar Ruiz, Rashan Gary and Taco Charlton. Yes, Jabrill Peppers and Devin Bush Jr. were also first-rounders, but when you also look at the other early rounds, that’s where we’ve seen players like Josh Uche, Chase Winovich and Chris Wormley picked.

Given his upside and the fact that he’s only played one year as a starter and is looked at so highly at this juncture, Mayfield has the ability to potentially capitalize on an early departure if predictions hold true.

Where we see him as of now?

We’re going with Kiper and slating him as a first-round pick if he does choose to leave early, assuming he continues his level of play in 2020.

NEXT: An early-round wide receiver off the board?

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Why Nico Collins opted to return to Michigan for senior year

The Wolverines offensive coordinator shares why the wide receiver opted to return for his senior year and why he was hampered in 2019.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Back on Dec. 28, we posted on the WolverinesWire forum that third-year Michigan wide receiver Nico Collins was poised to return for his senior season with the Wolverines. It took eight days, but he announced this measure on social media in early January.

Given all of the draft eligible receivers to come back, Collins likely has the highest upside, so it was something of a surprise to some. While he wasn’t included in top draft boards, given his production, body size and ability he’s showcased on the field, he certainly could have gone to the NFL combine and made a case for being a top two day pick.

Naturally, the Michigan coaching staff is enthusiastic about having yet another year working with Collins. But what went into his decision to come back and play a fourth year in the maize and blue?

Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis says it was in part due to some nagging injuries, but also because he felt like there was a lot more for him to learn at the college level.

And Gattis says that he was able to play his part on whether Collins should stay or go.

“Yeah, I had a ton of input,” Gattis said. “The challenge for Nico was – and we met quite a bit towards the end of the season – I love the fact that Nico said, ‘Coach, I want to stay and develop.’ But the challenge that Nico had was, he was another guy that missed all offseason last year. When Nico started off the season, he had just got cleared two weeks before the season started. He missed all offseason with some surgery he (had) – but he’s a tough kid. He played all the previous year beat up a little bit. But he had missed that huge, significant chunk of developmental time, that guys make from January to August.

“So when he started off the season, he was just running off everything he had done the year before. He hadn’t had a chance to get his body the way he wanted. Hadn’t had a chance to develop his skill set. And that was something that he felt he wanted to work on. And let me say that, too – the body of work even with last year was very, very impressive. I think that Nico Collins, I firmly believe, is one of the best receivers in all of college football.

“And when you look at statistically, his numbers match up there.”

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Now, with Collins as well as Ronnie Bell coming back, Michigan returns its two most productive receivers from 2019.

To boot, Collins is finally fully healthy, as he showcased in winter conditioning. Gattis is seeing a difference, from his speed to his overall capability. With that in mind, he can’t wait to see what Collins does this season.

“The thing now, he had a great offseason,” Gattis said. “Timed extremely well in the 40s. Really ran a fast time and ran out a 4.4 – 4.45, when we timed it in the winter. So I think he’s just excited having a healthy offseason. Because that can go so far for you. And he also battled some little, nagging injuries during the season last year and missed some time in the Middle Tennessee State game and he missed the Illinois game. So now he feels that his body’s finally healthy. He’s able to work on his craft. It’s gonna pay off huge for him. And I can’t be more excited about who he is as a player, as a young man and as a leader. Big time future. Big time future, Nico Collins.”

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