Jamie Collins - OLB - Is He the Best Linebacker in This Draft?

[SteelersCanada]

Breaking Down the Combine's Most Explosive Linebacker: Jamie Collins

By
Chris Trapasso

Want to make an impression at the NFL Scouting Combine?

Do what Jamie Collins did.

Jump 41.5 inches in the vertical. Run an official 4.64 in the 40-yard dash.

Win the broad jump with an 11'7'' leap. Lastly, at your position, finish in the Top 5 in the three-cone drill and 60-yard shuttle.

Do all that, and regardless of where you played your collegiate ball, you'll get noticed.

The Southern Miss outside linebacker put on that freakishly-athletic performance at 6'3'' and 250 pounds.

Time to get to know this uniquely-gifted prospect.

Background

Jamie Collins, from Mississippi, played quarterback in high school and initially planned to sign with the Auburn Tigers. But when Gene Chizik was hired as the school's head coach, he chose to stay in his home state.

So, yeah, he would have been a teammate of Cam Newton's and would have played on the national championship team.

But enough with the hypotheticals.

Collins went to Southern Miss and enjoyed an accomplished career.

Collegiate Career

After moving from safety to linebacker during his sophomore season with the Golden Eagles, he was named to the Honorable Mention All-Conference USA team after filling the stat sheet with 76 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and two passes defender.

Collins earned the same honors in his junior season, but his numbers were greatly improved.

He started in all 14 outings and racked up 98 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and had eight pass breakups.

In 2012 as a senior, Collins dominated the competition, accumulating 20 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles, and he defended five passes.

Not surprisingly, he blocked a field goal in the 2009 New Orleans Bowl.

[not included, Tape. I suggest everyone go to the link and look at the tape breakdown of this kid. It's impressive.]

Apparently, some evaluators liked what they saw on tape before Collins took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Bruce Feldman ✔ @BFeldmanCBS
Spoke to a few scouts In Indy who were high on So Miss LB Jamie Collins. Backed up freak rep, broad jumping 11-7.

NFL Comparison:

Justin Houston

Although Houston weighed in at 270 before the 2011 Scouting Combine and did 11 more reps on the bench than Collins, their workouts were similar, and they resembled each other on tape in college.

Coming from Georgia, Houston was slightly more polished than Collins is now, but the burst and athleticism similarities are uncanny.

In a 3-4 scheme, especially if he adds muscle mass, Collins could have a comparable career arc in the NFL to that of Houston.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...-jamie-collins

-- 41.5" vertical? Freak. I'm going to go back and look at this kid, but if he really did pop out at the combine and looks great on film, then we can indeed take Vaccaro in the first and this kid in the second.