LAZARUS_LOGAN
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LAZARUS_LOGAN
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That's a good question: How much better will the OL be with Collins?
I didn't expect that Martin would make such a difference last year, but he did. A part of the OL's improvement must have been due to Fredrick (and Smith) becoming better with experience, but Martin played a big role too.
SI 64: No. 12: LSU OT La'el Collins
SI64: La'el Collins, OT
Sports Illustrated's experts rank the top 64 NFL draft prospects including LSU offensive tackle La'el Collins.
by Doug Farrar
Posted: Wed Apr. 15, 2015
Updated: Fri Apr. 17, 2015
With the 2015 NFL draft fast approaching, it’s time for all 32 NFL teams to start getting their draft boards in order and ranking players based on their own preferences. At SI, it’s time for us to do that as well. To that end, Doug Farrar and Chris Burke have assembled their own definitive Big Board, consisting of the players they feel deserve to be selected in the first two rounds.
As we move into the high teens, the most physically gifted players in this draft class are featured, and LSU offensive lineman La'el Collins is certainly in that group. At 6'4" and 305 pounds, Collins has every bit of the pure functional strength you'd want in a professional blocker. The question is, can he be an NFL left tackle?
Bio: Most players who pledge to Les Miles's team have to wait their turn, but it didn't take long for Collins to break into LSU's consistently and ridiculously talented roster—he played seven games at left guard as a true freshman, became the starter at right guard the next season, and switched to the starting left tackle position for the 2013 season. And against the always tough SEC, Collins often proved to be the biggest bully on the block—a knockdown machine with an aggressive attitude. That aggression works against him to a point at tackle, which may have NFL teams seeing him as a guard. Wherever he lands in the NFL, Collins will bring an imposing physical style—and a great deal of potential—with him.
Strengths: A prototypical mauler who shoots out of his stance quickly at the snap and clearly relishes the opportunity to bury defenders in short areas. Strong player with a wide base and active hands, which he uses to win leverage battles—he regularly pushes defenders back in the run game. Surprising agility with speed to the second level and a passable kick-step in pass protection. Gets his shoulders squared and back on his base after he backs up to face pass-rushers. Legitimate prospect at guard and tackle, but his time at left tackle against some of the NCAA's best pass-rushers will elevate his stock.
Weaknesses: Collins needs to be more of a sustainer—susceptible to losing blocks to either side because he doesn't maintain his body position and uses his hands inconsistently. Inexplicably lunges forward when blocking downfield, leading to easy tackles. Currently lacks the technique required to consistently set the edge. Lets defenders get under his pads and around him too often, and he's vulnerable to quick moves to either side. Not quick enough to adjust to inside counters and rip moves. Could be seen as a guard at the next level, though he's not as athletically limited as most of the position-switch prospects in recent years.
Conclusion: Collins is a very powerful, but slightly athletically limited player who could be seen as anything from a left tackle to a right tackle to a left guard at the next level—it all depends on the scheme, and where he best fits with the team that drafts him. Fortunately, as he insisted at the scouting combine, he's open to whatever challenge he's given.
“It’s been great feedback," Collins said when asked what NFL teams said to him. "They’ve asked me if I could slide to the right side and then in two years, go to the left. I feel very confident in what I do, so it wouldn’t be a problem. They’ve asked me about playing guard and I could play either spot, right or left side. I love the one-on-one matchups. Being out there, one-on-one with a guy and having my way with him.”
Denver's Orlando Franklin is an interesting comp—like Collins, Franklin played tackle and guard at Miami, started his NFL career at right tackle, but kicked inside to left guard for the 2014 campaign, enjoying his best year in the process. And like Collins, Franklin tended to overextend on the outside, proving to be a better player in a phone booth. There's nothing wrong with becoming one of the best guards in the NFL, which is what Collins could eventually become. He could also be a great right tackle with a few technique fixes, but I think his future at left tackle is far more nebulous.
Pro Comparison: Orlando Franklin, Broncos (2nd round, 2011)
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http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1824825/lael-collins
Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Collins sports a thick, powerful frame that makes him about as difficult to move as a chest freezer. His frame belies his quick feet, an attribute that when combined with his long arms, impressive strength and aggression make him a devastating run blocker. Collins is often the quickest of LSU's offensive linemen off the snap and he routinely drives his assignment off the line of scrimmage with pure power, creating easy running lanes for LSU's backs. He's surprisingly quick to the second level and has good body control to adjust to moving targets.
As a pass blocker, Collins shows good initial quickness in his kick-slide and uses his long reach to maintain the arc. When he gets his hands on opponents and remains square, it is generally lights out for the defender. Collins showed his willingness to potentially convert inside, impressing on a few snaps at left guard at the Senior Bowl.
WEAKNESSES: Collins left Chicago shortly before the draft to address an off-field issue in which police wanted to speak to him regarding the shooting death of a 29-year-old pregnant woman. He was not considered a suspect, but the timing of the issue left his draft stock in limbo.
He does not possess elite balance and can be challenged by speed-rushers. He'll over-compensate occasionally and leave the inside open for counters.
Collins' aggression is admirable but also leads to mistakes. Rather than patiently waiting for defenders to come to him, Collins will occasionally lunge, making himself top-heavy and prone to slipping down the body of his opponent. This can lead to his hands getting too low or slipping onto the side and/or back of defenders, which invites them to swim over the top of him to disengage.
COMPARISON TO: James Carpenter, Jets: Collins is a better athlete than Carpenter and therefore may be likelier to remain outside than Alabama's former tackle, who has since become a mauling run blocker at left guard with the Seahawks.
--Rob Rang
Player Overview
There are two basic truths evaluators have grown used to when scouting LSU - for one, the team will be loaded with talent. Second, the talent is so rich so that the best players rarely use all of their collegiate eligibility before leaving for the NFL. Unlike many of his former teammates, Collins elected to return for his senior season despite the fact that he reportedly earned a first round grade from the NFL Advisory Committee.
Collins certainly did nothing to harm that grade in 2014, putting forth yet another dominant campaign at left tackle for the Tigers and following that up with a strong performance at the Senior Bowl.
Collins earned immediate playing time for the Tigers as a true freshman, playing in seven games at left guard. He took over the starting position a year later, leading the team in total snaps (846) and knockdown blocks (64.5) while earning Honorable Mention honors from the AP. Collins made the switch to left tackle as a junior, earning second-team All-SEC accolades from league coaches and posting another 65 knockdown blocks despite missing one game (Furman) due to injury.
Collins possesses a square-ish build that makes him appear better suited to guard. His combination of surprisingly light feet, bullish power and competitiveness could earn him Pro Bowl nods. He's quick enough to remain at tackle for power-running teams, which only makes Collins that much more valuable in the eyes of scouts.
Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Collins sports a thick, powerful frame that makes him about as difficult to move as a chest freezer. His frame belies his quick feet, an attribute that when combined with his long arms, impressive strength and aggression make him a devastating run blocker. Collins is often the quickest of LSU's offensive linemen off the snap and he routinely drives his assignment off the line of scrimmage with pure power, creating easy running lanes for LSU's backs. He's surprisingly quick to the second level and has good body control to adjust to moving targets.
As a pass blocker, Collins shows good initial quickness in his kick-slide and uses his long reach to maintain the arc. When he gets his hands on opponents and remains square, it is generally lights out for the defender. Collins showed his willingness to potentially convert inside, impressing on a few snaps at left guard at the Senior Bowl.
WEAKNESSES: Collins left Chicago shortly before the draft to address an off-field issue in which police wanted to speak to him regarding the shooting death of a 29-year-old pregnant woman. He was not considered a suspect, but the timing of the issue left his draft stock in limbo.
He does not possess elite balance and can be challenged by speed-rushers. He'll over-compensate occasionally and leave the inside open for counters.
Collins' aggression is admirable but also leads to mistakes. Rather than patiently waiting for defenders to come to him, Collins will occasionally lunge, making himself top-heavy and prone to slipping down the body of his opponent. This can lead to his hands getting too low or slipping onto the side and/or back of defenders, which invites them to swim over the top of him to disengage.
COMPARISON TO: James Carpenter, Jets: Collins is a better athlete than Carpenter and therefore may be likelier to remain outside than Alabama's former tackle, who has since become a mauling run blocker at left guard with the Seahawks.
--Rob Rang
Player Overview
There are two basic truths evaluators have grown used to when scouting LSU - for one, the team will be loaded with talent. Second, the talent is so rich so that the best players rarely use all of their collegiate eligibility before leaving for the NFL. Unlike many of his former teammates, Collins elected to return for his senior season despite the fact that he reportedly earned a first round grade from the NFL Advisory Committee.
Collins certainly did nothing to harm that grade in 2014, putting forth yet another dominant campaign at left tackle for the Tigers and following that up with a strong performance at the Senior Bowl.
Collins earned immediate playing time for the Tigers as a true freshman, playing in seven games at left guard. He took over the starting position a year later, leading the team in total snaps (846) and knockdown blocks (64.5) while earning Honorable Mention honors from the AP. Collins made the switch to left tackle as a junior, earning second-team All-SEC accolades from league coaches and posting another 65 knockdown blocks despite missing one game (Furman) due to injury.
Collins possesses a square-ish build that makes him appear better suited to guard. His combination of surprisingly light feet, bullish power and competitiveness could earn him Pro Bowl nods. He's quick enough to remain at tackle for power-running teams, which only makes Collins that much more valuable in the eyes of scouts.
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In my boredom, i have been re-watching all the games from last year. One thing that i noticed was how much Leary gets pushed back. It’s not just on passing downs but on running plays as well. He was the weakest link on the line.
There is room for the O-line to get better. Not just at Leary’s spot but the other guys can play better too. How much better we will have to wait to find out.
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2015 NFL Draft Prospect to Watch: LSU OT La’el Collins
BBD Contributor: Brian Krosky
At the beginning of the 2014 college football season, there were three offensive tackles that found themselves at the top of many early draft rankings. However, all three have dealt with their own issues and their draft stocks have fallen.
Cedric Ogbuehi, who is following in the footsteps of recent top-six overall draft picks Texas A&M tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews (who have struggled so far in the NFL) has struggled in pass protection. Iowa’s Brandon Scherff has a history of injuries. Stanford junior Andrus Peat has shown that he may be a developmental project and a product of his system than an NFL-ready tackle. These players’ lackluster 2014 seasons could lead to another offensive tackle, LSU’s La’el Collins, shooting up draft boards.
A senior at LSU, Collins has experience playing both guard and tackle in college. According to LSU’s official athletic website, Collins measures in at 6’5″ and weighs 321 pounds. He originally started off at guard until his junior season, when he slid over to left tackle, where he has played the last two years.
What Collins Does Well
Collins is a very good blocker, but he’s also very instinctive. He reads defenses well. His blocking isn’t always pretty, but it gets the job done and creates lanes for runners. Even when he’s at a disadvantage athletically, he does his best to keep defenses out of the backfield.
Collins played very well against Florida’s Dante Fowler, one of the premier pass-rushers in the country, in a game earlier this year. On the following off-tackle run, Collins quickly saw Fowler’s attempt at a swim move and countered it by pushing him inside and allowing the running back to get into the open field.
Run blocking is where Collins really excels. He has a very strong lower base and gets great leverage on defenders. When he can keep his hands inside and stay engaged, he will win at the point of attack and open up lanes by driving defenders back.
Below is another example of Collins beating Fowler at the line of scrimmage and completely controlling him.
Collins almost never loses a battle when run blocking. He’s simply a “mauler” and is the reason LSU has excelled in their run-heavy offense. Here’s just another example of that.
Where Collins Needs to Improve
Playing tackle, Collins plays against the very best edge rushers in the country. He sometimes overcompensates for the edge and kick-steps too far out, exposing his inside. He lacks elite quickness to recover and allows some pressures up the middle.
Although the running back picked up the rusher and allowed quarterback Anthony Jennings to attempt a pass, the following play showed why Collins’ lack of ability to recover laterally can become a problem.
Another potential issue with Collins is his hand placement. When he has his hands inside the shoulders of a defender and remains engaged, he’s elite. But occasionally his hands slip outside and allow defenders to shed his blocks. If Collins can’t remain centered, he can’t get leverage on the defender, and suddenly isn’t as dominant as he usually is.
Projecting Collins’ Draft Stock
General managers and executives will love Collins’ versatility to play either at guard or tackle. He offers a great skill set and with good coaching and transitioning to the speed of the NFL game, he should only improve.
A problem he will encounter, however, is his lack of experience protecting the edge. He has done a nice job in pass protection, but with LSU’s offense becoming very run-oriented, that facet of his game doesn’t need to be as polished for their game plan.
Right now, he projects best as a guard because of his run blocking abilities and his familiarity to play inside. Even as a tackle the last two years, LSU has often put in two or three tight ends to block on the outside, so Collins plays the role of the interior often.
The versatile guard/tackle has become a popular trend in recent drafts. In the 2014 draft, Greg Robinson, Zack Martin, and Joel Bitonio were all collegiate left tackles who were selected with early picks then started off at guard in the NFL. While Collins doesn’t have the same raw natural ability Robinson does that made him an elite prospect worthy of being drafted No. 2 overall, his play is very similar in style.
Look for Collins to be a mid-first round pick come May. Although his stock could fluctuate up to the top 10 or down to Day 2, he will be in the discussion to be one of the first offensive linemen drafted if he plays out the rest of the year consistently.
BBD Contributor: Brian Krosky
At the beginning of the 2014 college football season, there were three offensive tackles that found themselves at the top of many early draft rankings. However, all three have dealt with their own issues and their draft stocks have fallen.
Cedric Ogbuehi, who is following in the footsteps of recent top-six overall draft picks Texas A&M tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews (who have struggled so far in the NFL) has struggled in pass protection. Iowa’s Brandon Scherff has a history of injuries. Stanford junior Andrus Peat has shown that he may be a developmental project and a product of his system than an NFL-ready tackle. These players’ lackluster 2014 seasons could lead to another offensive tackle, LSU’s La’el Collins, shooting up draft boards.
A senior at LSU, Collins has experience playing both guard and tackle in college. According to LSU’s official athletic website, Collins measures in at 6’5″ and weighs 321 pounds. He originally started off at guard until his junior season, when he slid over to left tackle, where he has played the last two years.
What Collins Does Well
Collins is a very good blocker, but he’s also very instinctive. He reads defenses well. His blocking isn’t always pretty, but it gets the job done and creates lanes for runners. Even when he’s at a disadvantage athletically, he does his best to keep defenses out of the backfield.
Collins played very well against Florida’s Dante Fowler, one of the premier pass-rushers in the country, in a game earlier this year. On the following off-tackle run, Collins quickly saw Fowler’s attempt at a swim move and countered it by pushing him inside and allowing the running back to get into the open field.
Run blocking is where Collins really excels. He has a very strong lower base and gets great leverage on defenders. When he can keep his hands inside and stay engaged, he will win at the point of attack and open up lanes by driving defenders back.
Below is another example of Collins beating Fowler at the line of scrimmage and completely controlling him.
Collins almost never loses a battle when run blocking. He’s simply a “mauler” and is the reason LSU has excelled in their run-heavy offense. Here’s just another example of that.
Where Collins Needs to Improve
Playing tackle, Collins plays against the very best edge rushers in the country. He sometimes overcompensates for the edge and kick-steps too far out, exposing his inside. He lacks elite quickness to recover and allows some pressures up the middle.
Although the running back picked up the rusher and allowed quarterback Anthony Jennings to attempt a pass, the following play showed why Collins’ lack of ability to recover laterally can become a problem.
Another potential issue with Collins is his hand placement. When he has his hands inside the shoulders of a defender and remains engaged, he’s elite. But occasionally his hands slip outside and allow defenders to shed his blocks. If Collins can’t remain centered, he can’t get leverage on the defender, and suddenly isn’t as dominant as he usually is.
Projecting Collins’ Draft Stock
General managers and executives will love Collins’ versatility to play either at guard or tackle. He offers a great skill set and with good coaching and transitioning to the speed of the NFL game, he should only improve.
A problem he will encounter, however, is his lack of experience protecting the edge. He has done a nice job in pass protection, but with LSU’s offense becoming very run-oriented, that facet of his game doesn’t need to be as polished for their game plan.
Right now, he projects best as a guard because of his run blocking abilities and his familiarity to play inside. Even as a tackle the last two years, LSU has often put in two or three tight ends to block on the outside, so Collins plays the role of the interior often.
The versatile guard/tackle has become a popular trend in recent drafts. In the 2014 draft, Greg Robinson, Zack Martin, and Joel Bitonio were all collegiate left tackles who were selected with early picks then started off at guard in the NFL. While Collins doesn’t have the same raw natural ability Robinson does that made him an elite prospect worthy of being drafted No. 2 overall, his play is very similar in style.
Look for Collins to be a mid-first round pick come May. Although his stock could fluctuate up to the top 10 or down to Day 2, he will be in the discussion to be one of the first offensive linemen drafted if he plays out the rest of the year consistently.
LAZARUS_LOGAN
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He'll either push Leary to become better, or he'll push Leary to the sidelines; either way it's a good thing.
LAZARUS_LOGAN
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I think the Jets' DL is going to be insanely good. I don't look forward to playing the AFC East this year.
Statman
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Great post and right on!
It's not even about who will win the starting job. This is all about the addition of quality and talent to the entire squad in general. This is another guy that competes every days making everybody in the squad that much better by increasing the quality of competition.
Have we passed a point know where we no longer have to worry about injury? If the Cowboys were to lose someone like Martin or Tyron for the season, that would be devastating wouldn't it? However, if we could fill that position with someone like Collins, wouldn't that be a far more valuable role?
Meanwhile, I wonder how their short yardage lineup with 6 O-linemen will look like with a 230 pound Synjyn Days running behind them.
Pushed back like how? Giving up a little ground? I don't recall him getting driven back towards Romo like some bum guards do.
I'm not saying Leary is great. But I definitely think he's a guy you can win with. And hey, on an Oline with 3 first rounders.... someone had to be the "weak link."
LAZARUS_LOGAN
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I agree. And I think the Dolphins as well.
ThoughtExperiment
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Bills also. The Pats probably have the weakest DL in that division, which is kind of crazy.
But still, they have Geno Smith, Ryan Tannehill, and Manuel or whoever the Bills roll out, so it doesn't really matter.