Several NFL Draft hopefuls worked out at Michigan’s pro day on Friday, March 26. Here are some of the noteworthy results:
WR Nico Collins (6’4″, 215 lbs.)
40 time: 4.43 seconds
Bench press reps: 14
Vertical jump: 37.5″
Broad jump: 10’5 3/4″
3-cone drill: 6.71 seconds
5-10-5 drill: 4.32 seconds
Hit the jump for more.
read more
Name: Nico Collins
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Birmingham (AL) Clay-Chalkville
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #4 #1
Last year: I ranked Collins #7 and said he would be a starting wide receiver with 60 catches for 990 yards and 10 touchdowns (LINK). He caught 37 passes for 729 yards and 7 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 85
Going into the 2019 season, I thought Collins would become the alpha of the wide receivers and lead the team in all categories, including receptions, yards, and touchdowns. While he did lead in touchdowns, he was second in receptions and yards behind slot receiver Ronnie Bell. He was a big-play guy with a Big Ten-leading 19.7 yards per reception.
I have long been questioning Michigan’s wide receiver production, and Collins’s was no exception. In three years where he averaged 17.8 yards per catch for his career, he topped 100 yards in a game just once (6 catches for 165 yards and 3 touchdowns against Indiana in 2019).
Collins was given the #1 jersey going into the season, but it doesn’t matter because he opted out of playing in 2020. Instead, he will enter the NFL Draft, despite the fact that it’s a deep wide receiver class and, in my opinion, he has little hope of going in the first round.
Collins will be missed. I think a good argument could be made for moving him higher in the countdown. He’s 6’4″ and reportedly ran a 4.46 this off-season (even though I never trust the times that come out of Michigan). He’s legitimately one of the best receivers in the Big Ten, and the Wolverines will be without his services. They have no other size mismatches and will instead have to rely on the speed of some young guys, along with the basketball instincts of Ronnie Bell.
Prediction: Will enter 2021 NFL Draft
I guess I prematurely posted a goodbye post for Jalen Mayfield after he opted out of the 2020 season (LINK), because now he’s reportedly coming back to play. It’s understandable that he opted out since the season was canceled/postponed at the time.
Meanwhile, defensive end Kwity Paye also came out and said he was returning, even though he had not necessarily made an official announcement that he was leaving.
That leaves Nico Collins and Ambry Thomas, both of whom have signed with agents, as the other two guys who are in some limbo right now. Thomas is reportedly interested in coming back, while there’s not much coming out of Collins’s camp.
✅ 6 receptions
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) August 3, 2020
✅ 165 yards
✅ 3 TDs
Start your week with Nico Collins’ career day in last year’s win at Indiana.@lbg_nico7 | @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/ITwe74jFjc
Hit the jump for more.
read more
Thanks to Joe for the generous Paypal contribution over the weekend! It was much appreciated. After getting paid by Amazon, AdSense, etc. for the month of June, that was actually the roughest financial month since I started keeping track in August 2012 . . . and the second worst month in that span was April 2020. That’s fitting, of course, since we’re in the middle of a pandemic and a recession and everything. Anyway, if you would like to contribute, here’s the link:
I like to take a look back at the careers of Michigan’s recent coaches and see which players had the best seasons. After five years at Michigan’s helm, it’s time for a look at Jim Harbaugh’s tenure in Ann Arbor.
QUARTERBACK: 2015 Jake Rudock
Rudock, a former starter at Iowa, decided to grad transfer to Michigan for his final year of eligibility. Unlike some grad transfers who spend the spring at their new school, Rudock did not practice with Michigan until fall camp. Through seven weeks of the season, Rudock threw for 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. But when he heated up toward the end of the season, he really heated up. Over the final six contests, he threw 15 touchdowns and just 3 picks on his way to a 10-3 overall record in Harbaugh’s first year. His final stats included 249/389 (64.0%) on completions, 3017 yards, 20 touchdowns, 9 interceptions; he also ran for 166 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Hit the jump for more.