Maliek Collins NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Cowboys Rookie

POSITIVES

A classic 3-technique penetrator, Maliek Collins elected to head to the NFL after his junior season at Nebraska. His 2014 tape showed a flashy, productive pass-rusher, but he must convince teams his final season was a fluke.

A former high school wrestler, Collins has explosive traits and excellent body control firing out of his stance. Collins doesn’t have elite measurables, but he has heavy, strong hands (9 ½”) and uses them well to cut and slap away blockers. He uses his natural leverage to his advantage and understands how to get underneath blockers and pop up to drive them back off the ball in a bull rush.

Collins has enough burst off the line to get blockers turned. When lining up in a 3-technique, he’s quick enough to slice through a gap and get into the backfield with his first step. He shoots gaps with excellent pad height and comes through aware and ready to chase the ball.

Largely considered a one-gap attacker, Collins has enough strength to play in a 3-4 scheme that wants movement from the nose tackle. Like a Bennie Logan or Glenn Dorsey type, Collins has versatility.

NEGATIVES

You have to question why Collins’ production dropped off so hard in 2015—from 14 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks to just 2.5 sacks and seven tackles for a loss—but players and coaches we talked to during an October 2015 visit said that everyone on defense was struggling under the new regime. That may be a convenient excuse, but it is something teams must factor into the equation.

Collins does a good job initiating contact off the snap but doesn’t win battles when he has to redirect or shed the blocker. If he doesn’t get inside leverage, the snap is almost always won by the blocker. Collins’ lack of length can be an issue there, and it allows blockers to get into his frame faster because he’s not able to reach and lock them out.

Penalties were an issue for Collins in the games we charted. His play in 2015 looked more undisciplined and careless than the player who had a Round 1 grade off his sophomore tape. NFL teams must weigh the odds to determine which prospect they’re getting, but if Collins sees a small draft-day fall down the board, he could be an incredible value to teams needing an interior rusher.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 311 lbs.

40 Time: 5.03s

3-Cone: 7.53s

Short Shuttle: 4.52s

PRO COMPARISON: Bennie Logan, Philadelphia Eagles
FINAL GRADE: 6.99/9.00 (Round 2—Future Starter)