NFL Scouting Report: LB Zaven Collins (Tulsa)

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Physical Tools, College Game Film, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

Bio

Pos: LB

Hometown: Hominy, OK

School: Tulsa

Class: Redshirt Junior

DOB: 5/19/1999 (21)

Height: 6’5″ (98%) | Weight: 259 lbs (96%)

Hands: N/A | Arms: N/A

Bench: N/A | 40-YD: 4.67s (49%)

Interesting Facts

Nagurski, Bednarik, & Lombardi Awards, unanimous All-American, AAC DPOY (2020)
Top-rated LB, 90+ PFF overall, coverage, and pass-rush grades
Forced 6 TOs (4 INTs), scored 2 TDs in 2020
100+ career snaps in the slot & at DL (1,729 in the box)
Played QB, LB, and Safety in High School

Physical Tools

Pros

Huge for a modern off-ball LB (6’5″, 259)
Movement skills — 4.67s 40-YD (49th %tile)
Explosive lower-body — 35″ vert (61st), 122″ broad (78th)
Quality length, hand strength
Relatively flexible given his size
No bench records, but showed ability to bully past OL with strength

Cons

Not the twitchiest athlete
May be considered “too big” for some schemes

Grade: A

Game Film

Pros

Moves like he’s ~20 lbs lighter
Impressive explosion and closing speed
Quality processor and play diagnosis
Solid “bend” around the edge
Outstanding blitzer from various alignments
Terrific timing on delayed rushes
Legitimate coverage skills — covered slot repeatedly

Cons

Should be a much better tackler in run support
Hand usage can come a bit too late in the rush
Can try to play behind a block rather than shedding

Grade: A-

Production

Pros

Nagurski & Bedinarik Award winner, unanimous All-American, AAC DPOY (2020)
Very good in 2019 (77.9 PFF grade) but took a massive jump in 2020
91.1 overall PFF grade ranked 1st among all LBs in 2020
Stat-sheet stuffer — 7.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 4 INTs, 2 FFs in 8 games
Ridiculous 93.7 coverage, 90.6 pass-rush PFF grades
Nearly 200 career snaps in the slot (192), 117 on the line (1,732 at off-ball LB)
Allowed a 62.2 passer rating when targeted (4 INTs)

Cons

Allowed 11 RECs on 15 targets (73.3%), 9 coverage stops
Subpar 66.3 run-defense PFF grade
Only 16 run stops (169th), 37 career missed tackles (15.6% MT rate)
Forced just 3 incompletions (15 targets)

Grade: A-

Risk

Pros

Impressive versatility and all-around athleticism
Fluid athlete with the frame of an EDGE
Bonafide playmaker — 4 INTs, 4 sacks, 2 FFs, 2 pick-sixes
Top-rated LB in 2020, 90+ overall, coverage, and pass-rush grades
Repeatedly made clutch plays throughout 2020
Absolutely dominated a Group-of-5 conference (AAC)
32 games of experience over 3 seasons (2,041 snaps)

Cons

Faced with “lesser” competition in the AAC
Quality, but average production until 2020 explosion
Needs to improve hand usage, block shedding, tackling technique
Not incredibly twitchy, will likely remain near the box

Grade: A-

Overall

A 4-year, 2-way starter at Hominy High School (OK), Zaven Collins played QB, LB, and S while recording 4,000 RUSH YDS (54 TDs), 3,000 PASS YDS (32 TDs), and over 200 tackles. Despite that production and versatility, Collins didn’t receive a single Power-5 scholarship offer, signing with Tulsa after his very last (of 12) camp stop.

After a stellar first two years with the Hurricane, Collins turned in an incredible junior campaign that was highlighted by 4 sacks and INTs, 2 of which were returned for TDs. Much like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Zaven Collins possesses a uniquely versatile skillset with an unusual frame. While JOK is a smaller LB/DB hybrid, Zaven is significantly taller, about 30 pounds larger, and more of a LB/EDGE hybrid.

An impressive natural pass-rusher, his repertoire is raw but he clearly possesses the power, explosion, and bend to create havoc on the edge. At the second level, he’s displayed some quality processing skills along with the speed for downhill pursuit, but has a tendency to play behind blocks and engage his hands too late. A playmaker in coverage as well, Collins’ frame, athleticism, and proven versatility should fit perfectly within a multi-front defense.

Impactful in numerous facets, it’s difficult to imagine him not succeeding in a scheme like New England’s, which values large LBs with Swiss-army-knife skillsets (Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, etc.). Ideally, he will land on a team that can make the most of his all-around skillset and place him in various alignments as both an edge rusher and off-ball LB with the hope he can quickly develop into a 3-down defender.

Pro Comp: LB Dont’a Hightower (New England Patriots)

Projected Round: Late-1st Round

Prime Destinations: NYG, LV, MIA, WAS, BAL, PIT, BUF, CLE, NO, ATL, NE

OVERALL Grade: A-