Second Level Speed
Collins has the speed to break long runs, but won’t be outrunning players into the end zone on a regular basis in the NFL, as seen in the plays below:
Some RBs have the blazing speed to outrun angles from defenders. Collins is not one of them, as the first play shows. He finishes off the run with nice power, but fails to get inside the 10 yard line because he lacks the speed to do so.
The second play shows some nice speed by Collins, but again it’s not great. He has to hurdle a defender into the end zone, when faster backs might get there before the player can even dive.
Even if you aren’t the fastest player, you can still score TDs in one on one situations. In the third play, Collins crosses up a safety, the lone line of defense on a short run, and gets into the endzone because no one else is around.
The fourth play shows a great initial burst by Collins to accelerate away from a defender, but as the run continues he loses speed. He still has what it takes to get to the end zone, but a faster NFL DB might catch him from behind.
The fifth play shows once again that Collins isn’t as fast as DBs, as #22 is clearly outrunning him even before Collins has to cut outside.
Fumbles
Collins had two plays that went down as fumbles in the games watched. The first was on a blown up reverse where Collins was trying to pitch. While he probably shouldn’t have attempted the pitch, it doesn’t bring up too many concerns about his ball handling ability.
However, the second fumble, against Missouri, is a bit more worrisome. It comes as Collins is fighting for extra yards, and a defender is able to rip the ball out. Since Collins’ path to contribute relies on his work after contact, he will have to make sure he is taking care of the ball while still fighting. In open space, he shows some very good ball carrying technique, keeping the ball high and tight.
