Nico Collins Poised For Breakout Season In 2020
Last year as a junior, wide receiver Nico Collins was second on the team with 37 catches and led the Wolverines in yards with 729 and touchdowns with seven. In 2020, Collins is looking to improve on those numbers and is also improving his body and speed according to wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.
The 40 time is obviously hand timed, which usually means it's a bit faster than a laser-timed 40, but at more than 220 pounds, anything in the 4.4-4.5 range is moving. Collins showed plenty of burst on his 76-yard touchdown catch against Indiana last year and certainly showed time and again that he's going to win most jump ball situations. If he's really getting faster and is legitimately running in the 4.4 range, look out next year.
Complimentary pieces like Ronnie Bell, Mike Sainristil and Giles Jackson, along with Cornelius Johnson and incoming freshmen AJ Henning and Roman Wilson, could make U-M's receiving corps extremely dangerous in year two under Gattis.
I actually think Collins is going to finish his Michigan career in spectacular fashion. I don't know if he'll lead the team in catches, because Ronnie Bell has a knack for getting open and really excels on short and intermediate routes, but in yards and touchdowns, I think Collins will lead the team again and improve on his numbers from last year.
It shouldn't seem unrealistic for Collins to catch 60 balls next year, but at Michigan it has been. Last year in college football, there were 77 receivers who caught more than 60 balls. It hasn't happened once at Michigan since Jim Harbaugh arrived. To me, in today's college football, that's unacceptable. Collins needs to eclipse that mark next year and I think he will.
What do you think of Collins' look and speed? How do you think he'll do next fall? Comment below!!!
