Name: Nico Collins
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 222 lbs.
High school: Birmingham (AL) Clay-Chalkville
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #4
Last year: I ranked Collins #34 and said he would be a backup wide receiver with 15 catches for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns (LINK). He started eleven games and made 38 catches for 632 yards and 6 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 85
Collins had a huge breakout season in 2018. Coming out of a spring where Tarik Black was reported to be the most outstanding receiver on the team, I expected Collins to take a back seat to Black and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Instead, Collins turned out to be a huge factor in the passing game. He was #1 on the team in receiving yards (632), #2 in receptions (38), #2 in receiving touchdowns (6), and #1 in yards per catch (16.6) out of players who caught 10+ passes.
Collins isn’t a big catch-and-run guy, but he’s a downfield threat because he has decent straight-line speed and great size to box out defensive backs. He’s Devin Funchess without the drops and with a better work ethic. Buzz about Black has fizzled since his latest broken foot, but some have been suggesting that Collins has been the best player on the team during spring and fall camp. I expect him to continue to ascend and get more of a chance to show what he can do in Michigan’s new offense.
Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 60 catches for 990 yards and 10 touchdowns
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60 4 990?
Com on man; that’s a push…….
I’ll say 61 4 1001.
Go Blue!…………INTJohn
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Jeez, it’s hard not to get too excited. An absolute weapon ranked #7? If Shea doesn’t underthrow 3-5 balls, Nico turns them into TDs. He’s that big jumpball unicorn we’ve been chasing since Braylon left
Let’s go already!
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990 yards? If the idea is for him to forgo the draft and come back for his senior year and get 1000 yards then I can’t argue with your logic!
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Now you’re speaking my language.
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I think Collins leads the team in receiving mainly due DPJ frequently being rested by coaches/not getting max minutes due to lingering injury. Groin injuries are like high ankle sprains – they never seem to really get better until the body gets the offseason extended rest. Sadly this likely results in Collins playing his 2020 football on Sundays along with DPJ.
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