Michigan Football: Nico Collins has solid first day at Senior Bowl
Nico Collins needs a big week at the Senior Bowl after opting out of the Michigan football season and so far, he’s off to a good start.
It’s hard to think of any Michigan football player that needs a good week at the Senior Bowl more than Nico Collins after the wide receiver didn’t play in 2020.
He wasn’t the only Wolverine that opted out and far from the only talented player to do so. Ambry Thomas joined him in opting out. But Thomas has blazing speed and doesn’t have to deal with quite as many good players at his position as Collins.
The wide receiver class is loaded for the 2021 NFL draft and even just looking around the Big Ten, there are a few receivers who are viewed more favorably than Collins.
Of course, Nico has a chance to start changing that narrative this week and after a career that saw him catch 78 passes for just over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns, he will need to impress.
And according to the reports from day one at the Senior Bowl, the former Michigan football standout is off to a good start.
Not only did Collins do well in the weigh-in, coming in at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, showing he was in good condition, he also did well in some of the one-on-one sessions.
Michigan WR Nico Collins vs. Oregon DB Thomas Graham Jr., who has been having a good day so far in one on ones. pic.twitter.com/19gdDdLvwR
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) January 26, 2021
Nico Collins with one of the best reps of the day
— Brad Kelly (@CoachBKelly) January 27, 2021
— Inside release, forearm pull to get rid of the jam by the CB
— Lean in to stack, enough of a hip shift at the top of the route to make the CB hesitate
— Track the ball over the shoulder and toe-tap on the sideline #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/xAbIg6u4fc
Not all the reviews were great though as Dane Brugler of The Athletic did note that Collins wasn’t winning on underneat stuff. Yet, even he said Collins was doing good things on the deep ball.
WR Nico Collins is struggling to separate on the underneath routes but his build up speed is winning deep.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 26, 2021
WR Tylan Wallace looks like a pro with his routes so far.
The one thing working in Collins favor is that he’s always had the talent. He has elite size and has shown the ability to go up and get the football. His problem was always consistency.
Collins didn’t produce a ton at Michigan, at least compared to a number of other draft prospects, but if he has a really good week, he could show that had more to do with Michigan. He also needs to be able to shake off the rust after not having played this past season.
At the time, I thought it might hurt Collins stock and the Wolverines sure could have used him, but he’s too talented to pass up if he can show some consistency this week.
So far it’s so good for Collins and for his sake, as well as the sake of his draft stock, hopefully he can keep it up.