Florida Gators 2021 Safety Corey Collier's SI All-American Scouting Report
Just one day after landing class-star cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., the Gators took a swing and hit a home run, landing his teammate from Palmetto (Miami), safety Corey Collier Jr.
Florida has aggressively pursued some of the top defensive backs in the nation for its 2021 recruiting class, and Collier is no different. As one of the more heady and versatile players in his class, he has a knack for getting to the football, a playmaker. The Gators will hope he brings the same smarts to the gridiron in Gainesville (Fla).
The Gators have continued to address their depth at defensive back this year, hauling in four other high-level players for their 2021 recruiting class, including Marshall, Gaither (Tampa, Fla) cornerback Jordan Young, Peters Township (Canonsburg, Pa) safety Donovan McMillion and Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla) Dakota Mitchell.
With Collier now in the fold, the Gators are hoping to be set at defensive back for years to come. In high school, Collier hauled in at least three interceptions last season, according to MaxPreps, and boasts big-play ability to break away, setting up the offense in fantastic field position. Collier projects closely as a single-high safety in the Gators' scheme.
RELATED: Gators land commitment from 2021 safety Corey Collier Jr.
Below, you can find Collier's scouting report from Sports Illustrated All-American, as he was named to the SIAA Top 1000 last month. The inaugural, 25-man Sports Illustrated All-American team of the top prospects in the class of 2021 will be unveiled in December.
Prospect: DB Corey Collier, Jr.
Projected Position: Safety
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-2, 170 pounds
School: Miami (Fla.) Palmetto
Committed to: Florida
Frame: Tall with length and lean muscle throughout. Narrow waist with room to add bulk to trunk and in upper half.
Athleticism: Quicker than fast athlete with a long stride and rock solid leaping ability. Not a burner but flashes strong closing speed and elite range while playing center field. Length and bounce makes for strong high-pointing ability.
Instincts: Nose for the football and/or creating turnovers. Seemingly always in the right place at the right time versus the run or pass. Plenty physical as an enforcer over the middle and in running the alley. Seldom overruns plays and attacks with controlled aggression.
Polish: Enough length and savvy to line up anywhere in the secondary with success. Explosive range flashes coming off the hash with a purpose. Cornerback experience with ability to affect wideout at the line of scrimmage and play leverage and zone elements well thereafter. Gets his head across on run support with some pop.
Bottom Line: Collier, the son of former Florida State defensive back Cornelius Collier, has the makeup of a versatile secondary prospect with an extremely high floor. His athleticism won’t jump off the page but he compensates with incredible savvy, ball skills and sheer play-making ability that gets defenses off the field on third down. Collier projects as a signal-calling deep safety with the advanced technique to hold up in man coverage as needed.