COVID-19 concerns caused a number of players to move on rather than play the shortened 2020 season, including Michigan senior wide receiver Nico Collins. While that didn’t sit well with some, many in the fan base overlook the fact that he decided to come back initially when many thought he should go.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh offered him the No. 1 jersey after he decided to come back, which he was happy to accept. When the Big Ten pulled the plug, though, he jumped in with two feet in preparation for his next step … the NFL.

That’s not to say he didn’t have regrets. It was hard to watch his teammates move on without him when the conference decided to move on with a partial season.

“I did consider coming back,” Collins said Wednesday. “I [only] opted out because they said they cancelled the season. There were too many uncertainties, and nobody knew the next time we were going to have a season.

“Once I opted out, I accepted an advance from my agent. Once they said they were going to have a season again, there wasn’t a way for me to come back. The NCAA wasn’t going to allow me to because of what I accepted. I was too far down the line. I wanted to for sure because I wanted to play my senior year, so why wouldn’t I come back? I planned on coming back; there was just no way to.”

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He was never concerned it would serve as a negative for one reason in particular — the Senior Bowl. He had already shown a lot of what he could do in averaging 19.7 and 16.6 yards per reception his last two seasons, hauling in over 1,300 yards in passes.

When he had the chance to showcase his abilities in the postseason, he made the most of it. His stock rose substantially after he dominated at times against some of the nation’s top cornerbacks.

All the talk of needing to put more highlights on film in 2020 evaporated.

“That week, I knew it was time for me to go showcase whatever I had been doing because I had opted out. I knew it was my only opportunity to do everything,” he said.

“I’d been working on my weight. The end of the 2019 year going into my senior year, I was watching everything I ate. It wasn’t hard for me to lose weight because I came off hernia surgery, wasn’t running or working out or anything.”

He’s now at 217 pounds and in great shape. He insists he runs a 4.4 40-yard dash and will have the opportunity to show it Friday during U-M’s on-campus Pro Day. He also bristled at the suggestion that he had questionable hands, saying, “I can catch the ball. I’ve got hands,” and while he admitted he loves the deep ball most, he’s been spending a lot of time on the digs, slants and intermediate routes and mastering them all.

The feedback from NFL teams has been positive. He’s spoken with San Diego and Pittsburgh among several others and will likely talk to many more before draft day. He’s not at all concerned about how deep the receiver options will be, noting he can play in the slot or outside if needed, and doesn’t care where he goes — he just wants to play in the NFL.

“I’m comfortable with all the routes,” he said. “There’s not one thing I can’t do.”

Of the obligatory Ohio State question, Collins insisted the Wolverines had just as much talent on the field as the Buckeyes, even if they didn’t beat them in his time at Michigan. He also strongly believes Jim Harbaugh is the right guy to continue to try.

“It’s because of how he cares for his players on and off field,” he said. “That’s what people don’t see. People only see games we lost, probably say he’s the wrong coach, but there’s more to it … he’s a great coach, and there’s more to it than football with just him. He’s willing to bring the best out of anyone, going to be there for anyone.

“So, I’d say, ‘you don’t know what you are talking about.’ There’s more to it. Coach Harbaugh is the one, a great coach for Michigan always will be.”

Collins will do his best to represent both him and Michigan at the next level, and many believe he’s got a chance to stick for a long time.

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