Former Spartan Signs Pro Contract in CFL

Former Michigan State Spartans running back Elijah Collins is furthering his professional career as he signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on Monday, as announced by Innovative Sports.

Collins was not drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, prompting him to sign as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was quickly waived by the organization in August of 2024 during the final roster cuts. He is now looking to continue his career in another professional league.

The Detroit, Mich. native had quite the collegiate career, playing six years, the first five seasons spent in East Lansing. He was a three-star running back coming out of University of Detroit Jesuit High School and was one of the top 30 running backs in the nation for his recruiting class.

As a Spartan, he amassed 353 carries for 1,506 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. His career season came in 2019 when he totaled 222 carries for 988 yards and five scores and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors. Collins had a tremendous ceiling that was truly never reached in his time with Michigan State.

After his time with the Spartans ended following the 2022 season, Collins transferred to Oklahoma State, where he played in just six games, carrying the ball 30 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

Collins will now join one of the nine teams in the CFL, joining the 2016 Grey Cup Champion, Ottawa Senators. After going 9-8 last year and falling in the East semifinal to the Toronto Argonauts, Collins will look to be a key piece to next season's offensive unit as the starting back.

The CFL season begins in mid-June and lasts all the way through November. Collins will get to work quickly as one of four running backs to join the team this season, alongside NFL 2024 seventh-round pick DeWayne McBride out of UAB.

Collins deserves credit for his tenacious attitude and relentless effort to stay on the football field. His time in East Lansing may have not ended in the way that many Spartan fans hoped it would, but his willingness to do anything to stay on the field and continue playing is admirable and impressive.

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