Experts Give Candid Takes On Where Collins, Evans & Others Could Be Drafted
The Michigan Wolverines' football program has five offensive players hoping to be chosen in the NFL Draft later this month — wideout Nico Collins, tight end Nick Eubanks, running back Chris Evans, fullback Ben Mason and offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield.
Players such as Collins and Mayfield are locks to come off the board, while the other three are viewed more as fringe prospects. We spoke exclusively to two of the top NFL Draft experts in the industry — CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso and TheAthletic.com's Dane Brugler — to get their thoughts on not only the strengths and weaknesses of each player, but also where they expect each aforementioned Wolverine to land.
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Nico Collins (WR)
Dane Brugler: “I think he has a good chance to sneak into the top-100 picks and be a day two selection. Collins is a big target at 6-4, 215 pounds, but doesn’t necessarily have the production that jumps out at you.
"His production as a sophomore and junior showed that he was progressing and climbing, and it felt like his senior year was going to be when he’d take off. The pandemic disrupted that and we’re missing an entire year of film for him.
"The talent makes him a guy teams will want to work with. He tested great at Michigan’s Pro Day, running a 4.43 at 215 pounds. He also ran a 6.71 in his three-cone drill and that’s fantastic.
"Teams look for height, weight and speed in guys in the third and fourth round, and he’s not the most sudden receiver in that regard — he’s not uncoverable. Collins wins matchups downfield though and is a smooth route runner, which will help him push for starting reps in the NFL.
"He’ll be a good value pick in the third or fourth round.”
Chris Trapasso: “I’m leaning toward him going on the end of the second day, maybe in the second round. He’s one of the few big targets at receiver in this draft. Collins has some wiggle and can get open, as we saw at the Senior Bowl.
"He’s good after the catch because he’s such a horse to bring down, and he can go up and make contested catches. In a draft class that has a lot of small, speedy receivers, Collins is a vertical threat with size, rebounding skills and is a good athlete for his height.
"There will be teams who want a vertical threat who may not be a 4.3 [40-yard dash] guy, but instead has the size and ability to take a lid off a defense. The third round is where he should be picked, and I think it’s where he’ll ultimately go.”
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