The Official LB Jamie Collins is an Insane Athlete Thread.

[SeymourTrophies]

Hi there! Debbie Downer checking in.
I remember all those "insane" threads about Patrick Chung we used to have here.

They're probably equal in terms of coverage ability.

Remember when our safeties were so bad that we were excited about getting Chung back in 2011?

 

[Big-T]

I really hope Patricia has the nous to get creative with Collins, here you have a supremely athletic example of a human who can rush the passer, drop into coverage and has shown that he can play S, ILB, OLB, DE

PLEASE get creative with plays and give the defense an opportunity to generate pressure.

Wasn't the broad jump a combine record too?

 

[yopats]

My gut says that if Tank Caradine had been there at 29 we would have made the pick. When he was gone along with a few interesting DB, there was really no one there that excited that wasn't a WR, and you KNEW BB wasn't going to take one there.

Tank Caradine was there at 29

 

[TruthSeeker]

I really hope Patricia has the nous to get creative with Collins, here you have a supremely athletic example of a human who can rush the passer, drop into coverage and has shown that he can play S, ILB, OLB, DE

PLEASE get creative with plays and give the defense an opportunity to generate pressure.

Wasn't the broad jump a combine record too?

I agree, let this guy terrorize the opponent from all over the field, make him a rover like Matthews in GB.

 

[patfanken]

OOPS on the Caradine comment. Let me amend to to say that if he'd be available at 52, I think the Pats would have gone for him, but that's just a gut feeling. Getting back to the REAL topic which is Jamie Collins, I have felt from the end of last season that the Pats were going to get more and more aggressive and creative with their existing personnel, and the end result of all that would be a more effective pass rush, and that was before we picked up all this new personnel.

Now look at who we added - TWO DT's with pass rush abilities. Last season we had to rely on a 255 OLB as our primary inside rusher. By adding Kelly and Armstead we now have 2 serious inside threats to go along with Love, Deadrick, and Wilfolk - Three solid interior DLmen, but none of them were rush threats.

And between, Cunningham, Bequette, Buchanan, Hightower, it is not unreasonable to think that at least one will blossom into a legitimate edge rushing threat that will make Ninko and Jones just that much more effective.

Finally add the feakish athletic talent of Jamie Collins and Matt Patricia has many more tools to use in concocting the kind of week to week nightmares of opposing OL's to deal with.

Last year we were conservative and stogy and STILL managed to be in the middle of the pack as far as effective pass rush stats. I felt we could improve those stats merely by being more aggressive and taking advantage of the improved talent we now have on the back end. Now with the addition of 3 legitimate pass rush talents to that mix, makes me even more sure that our pass rush will improve this season. And that's not including the possible improvements and contributions by Bequette, Cunningham, Buchanan, and the kid from Northeastern.

On another related note, all this makes me think that the Abraham/Freeney addition is NOT going to happen. When this off season started I felt certain that we'd pick up one of the Vet pass rushers that were out there. Now I think its less than 50-50 that it happens.

 

[Claremonster]

Chicken hens have bigger thighs and legs than Crable has. Hopefully BB took note of that.

 

[Ozymandias]

Collins is probably the most explosive athlete that BB has ever drafted, and he doesn't get enough credit for what he produced on the field. If he had played at Alabama or LSU, the Pats wouldn't have had a shot at him in the first round let alone in the back half of the 2nd.

You hit the nail right on the head here.

Sometimes people forget that where one plays factors into where one gets drafted as much too among other things. A prime example of this occurred just last season with Redskins RB Alfred Morris who went in the sixth round. He was clearly the best rookie rusher after last season, but because he played for 1-11 FAU team in the Sun Belt Conference along with a so called average athletic ability, he wasn't drafted as high as he would've otherwise been. He was a perfect fit the Redskins' scheme, but he was also a great pass blocker and great at breaking tackles which had little to do with the system for those that say it was all Shanahan. Morris is talented and in the right system for his talents to flourish.

Collins is no different really (well he is different in that he's a fabulous athlete unlike Morris). If he played in the SEC with a top program, he'd a top-10 pick. Sometimes players get overlooked because they're not on a great team. Kudos to Coach and his staff for recognizing uber athletic talent. Whether he can harness all that talent and fit into the system remains to be seen.

Beyond that, I notice something rather interesting. As I mentioned prior, Collins seems to be good against the read-option and athletic QBs in general. The Patriots' schedule could have factored into this pick as well:

Sept. 8/Dec.29 -- at Bills (potentially E.J. Manuel - good athlete at QB)
Sept. 12/Oct. 20 -- vs. Jets (potentially Geno Smith - good athlete at QB)
Oct. 27/Dec.15 -- vs. Dolphins (Ryan Tannehill - good athlete at QB)
Nov. 3 -- vs. Steelers (Ben Roethlisberger - average to good athlete at QB)
Nov. 18 -- at Panthers (Cam Newton - highly athletic QB)

That's potentially 8 games or half the schedule against QBs who could pose as much of a threat with their legs as much as their arms. Especially in the division, which on paper looks to have upgraded the athleticism out of the QB position. Collins might be the direct counteract to that going forward as he probably has the best skills out of the Patriots' LBs to combat the ever growing pool of mobile QBs.

 

[mgteich]

Yes, when you play for a terrible team, it is somewhat difficult to evaluate performance.

Of course, he would have been a 1st rounder if he had the same stats playing for Alabama. He didn't. We don't even know whether he would have been a starter for Alabama.

This was a fine pick, but there is no erason to gild the lily.

Sometimes people forget that where one plays factors into where one gets drafted as much too among other things.

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

My favorite pass rusher coming out of college, can't believe this guy lasted like he did and fell to us. Explosive and versatile edge rusher who is a difference maker. Even, as a rookie with skills like that will definitely help us immediately. Not to mention the wonders it does for our defense, who can now possibly go back to being a 3-4. So we now have Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Don'ta Hightower and Jamie Collins .. so many more fronts, looks and packages we can run now, and also gives us the ability to stick Ninkovich in on coverage downs.. Huge pickup, and lots of optimism.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Yes, when you play for a terrible team, it is somewhat difficult to evaluate performance.

Of course, he would have been a 1st rounder if he had the same stats playing for Alabama. He didn't. We don't even know whether he would have been a starter for Alabama.

This was a fine pick, but there is no erason to gild the lily.

I only watched a couple of Collins' games on tape, but there appeared to be many times where he had a good shot at making a great play, but the rest of the defense was so bad that it didn't end up mattering. Kinda similar to Boyce being stuck with a terrible QB, so that even when he beat his man and was wide open, it was 50/50 that the ball would actually get to him.

 

[bishbash]

Some good stuff on Collins:

“That’s the interesting thing,” Fedora said. “Jamie is so very, very talented. He’s a guy that can rush off the edge and go get the quarterback, but he can also cover man-to-man on any inside guy. He’s going to be so versatile that they’re going to be able to do a lot of things with him.”

The Patriots got the guy for the job, too. Collins’ life is family and football. He is fiercely devoted to those close to him since enduring a difficult childhood in which he was raised by his sister and other family after losing both parents and an older brother at a young age. The events carved Collins’ personality.

“I think he’ll really enjoy being around coach Belichick,” Duggan said. “If he respects you, he’ll give you everything he has. He’ll give you the shirt off his back and do anything for you. When he trusts them, then he’s your best friend, your son, anything, and he’ll do anything in the world for you. He’ll run through a wall for you in a heartbeat.”

Duggan told stories of a quiet leader and ultra-competitor. In a summertime team-chemistry challenge in games like kickball and volleyball, Collins tried to spike the ball in an opponent’s face to gain an edge. And if players jerked around during football practice, he would quietly get in their ear to set them straight. That will make him the right fit in the Patriots program.

“If I had to take one player in four years,” Duggan said, “to put him against the best of the best, hands down, you take Jamie Collins because he’s just ultra-competitive. He likes to compete at everything he does.”

Read more here:
Jamie Collins finds skills wherever he plays | Boston Herald

 

[Nunchucks]

Athlete does not translate into awesome football player, I am going to wait for him to prove that he can turn his freakish ability into production on the field.

 

[JMC00]

Athlete does not translate into awesome football player, I am going to wait for him to prove that he can turn his freakish ability into production on the field.

uh go look at this stats from college, he got under looked because who he played for. Had he been on Oregon and Dion Jordan been on Southern Mississippi it would have been him who was a top 10 pick and Dion Jordan going in the 2nd

 

[patchick]

uh go look at this stats from college, he got under looked because who he played for. Had he been on Oregon and Dion Jordan been on Southern Mississippi it would have been him who was a top 10 pick and Dion Jordan going in the 2nd

...and in any other year, Collins would have been a huge PatsFans binky, not a "huh?" pick.

After years of dreaming of explosive edge players, all it took was Jones and Hightower for the board to say "ok, nevermind, so about those WRs?" Yet there's plenty of need for a player like Collins, especially if Hightower's future is at MLB.

 

[BradyFTW!]

uh go look at this stats from college, he got under looked because who he played for. Had he been on Oregon and Dion Jordan been on Southern Mississippi it would have been him who was a top 10 pick and Dion Jordan going in the 2nd

Or even go watch his game film. The guy's basically just a way-more-athletic Rob Ninkovich. He's absolutely a football player and a need pick.

 

[patfanken]

Athlete does not translate into awesome football player, I am going to wait for him to prove that he can turn his freakish ability into production on the field.

Aw, Nun, then everything I've written on Collins of the last week must have meant nothing to you. You make me feel like I have failed in someway. Tell me Nun, who among his peers (Mingo, Jordan, etc) produced MORE?????

Hey I'm not blind to his deficiencies. I understand he needs work, but so do those other more heralded players. Yes he's a freakish athlete, but do NOT forget that he has also produced on the field.

....and wasn't there a very provocative post (by Patchick IIRC) which documented that when you compared the so call "freakish athletes" who had lesser production in college to those "average athletes" who had great production in college, it was the "freakish athletes" who fared better on entering the NFL....by far. Talk about myth busting.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Aw, Nun, then everything I've written on Collins of the last week must have meant nothing to you. You make me feel like I have failed in someway. Tell me Nun, who among his peers (Mingo, Jordan, etc) produced MORE?????

Hey I'm not blind to his deficiencies. I understand he needs work, but so do those other more heralded players. Yes he's a freakish athlete, but do NOT forget that he has also produced on the field.

....and wasn't there a very provocative post (by Patchick IIRC) which documented that when you compared the so call "freakish athletes" who had lesser production in college to those "average athletes" who had great production in college, it was the "freakish athletes" who fared better on entering the NFL....by far. Talk about myth busting.

Jason Pierre-Paul is probably the prime example of that, but even our own Chandler Jones is, as well. Neither had great college stats, but they were universally known as freak athletes.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Some good stuff on Collins:

“That’s the interesting thing,” Fedora said. “Jamie is so very, very talented. He’s a guy that can rush off the edge and go get the quarterback, but he can also cover man-to-man on any inside guy. He’s going to be so versatile that they’re going to be able to do a lot of things with him.”

The Patriots got the guy for the job, too. Collins’ life is family and football. He is fiercely devoted to those close to him since enduring a difficult childhood in which he was raised by his sister and other family after losing both parents and an older brother at a young age. The events carved Collins’ personality.

“I think he’ll really enjoy being around coach Belichick,” Duggan said. “If he respects you, he’ll give you everything he has. He’ll give you the shirt off his back and do anything for you. When he trusts them, then he’s your best friend, your son, anything, and he’ll do anything in the world for you. He’ll run through a wall for you in a heartbeat.”

Duggan told stories of a quiet leader and ultra-competitor. In a summertime team-chemistry challenge in games like kickball and volleyball, Collins tried to spike the ball in an opponent’s face to gain an edge. And if players jerked around during football practice, he would quietly get in their ear to set them straight. That will make him the right fit in the Patriots program.

“If I had to take one player in four years,” Duggan said, “to put him against the best of the best, hands down, you take Jamie Collins because he’s just ultra-competitive. He likes to compete at everything he does.”

Read more here:
Jamie Collins finds skills wherever he plays | Boston Herald

Brady is noted for the same competitive mentality as well

I just hope the younger beefier Collins doesn't compete for Gisele and tear this team apart

 

[Nunchucks]

Aw, Nun, then everything I've written on Collins of the last week must have meant nothing to you. You make me feel like I have failed in someway. Tell me Nun, who among his peers (Mingo, Jordan, etc) produced MORE?????

Hey I'm not blind to his deficiencies. I understand he needs work, but so do those other more heralded players. Yes he's a freakish athlete, but do NOT forget that he has also produced on the field.

....and wasn't there a very provocative post (by Patchick IIRC) which documented that when you compared the so call "freakish athletes" who had lesser production in college to those "average athletes" who had great production in college, it was the "freakish athletes" who fared better on entering the NFL....by far. Talk about myth busting.

My only point is that he has only played a year at LB and a year at DE. He has a lot of skills to learn. Having success because of ones athletic prowess is awesome, but in the NFL, that has to be combined with technique. Collins needs to show he is ABLE to do more than just be more athletic than his opposition, he needs to show that he can incorporate the skills necessary to play the position at a high level.

I love the guys athleticism, but he is so raw that it is a little worrisome. And I am not denigrating his success in college, but we all know college success does not equal NFL success.

 

[BradyFTW!]

My only point is that he has only played a year at LB and a year at DE. He has a lot of skills to learn. Having success because of ones athletic prowess is awesome, but in the NFL, that has to be combined with technique. Collins needs to show he is ABLE to do more than just be more athletic than his opposition, he needs to show that he can incorporate the skills necessary to play the position at a high level.

I love the guys athleticism, but he is so raw that it is a little worrisome. And I am not denigrating his success in college, but we all know college success does not equal NFL success.

Yes, he played one year at each position, but the important part is that they were very productive years. For the versatility that Belichick demands out of his OLBs/DEs, I'd rather he have a standout year at 2 positions than 2 standout years at 1 position. You don't rack up 10 sacks, especially on such a bad team, without having pretty good technique.