L.J. Collier Eager to Maintain Momentum, Silence Critics in Third NFL Season
RENTON, WA - When the Seahawks selected L.J. Collier with the No. 29 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll expected the former TCU standout to make an immediate impact up front.
Speaking with reporters after the conclusion of the first round, Schneider and Carroll quickly compared Collier to former starting defensive end Michael Bennett, who had earned three Pro Bowl selections and helped Seattle win its first Super Bowl in 2013. By highlighting the parallels between the two players in regard to skill set and versatility, the franchise's brain trust set lofty, potentially unreasonable expectations for their newest player.
Unfortunately, Collier suffered an ankle sprain early in his first training camp, leaving him on the sidelines for the entirety of the preseason. Once he returned to make his debut in Week 2, he found himself behind the eight ball, struggling to carve out a role while later admitting he wasn't close to 100 percent healthy. Appearing in 11 games, he registered only three tackles during a disappointing rookie campaign.
As a consequence of his underwhelming production, some fans wasted little time attaching the dreaded bust label on Collier. He heard the noise, but it wasn't anything new for the Munday, Texas native. Rather than let the criticism get to him, he used it as fuel to ensure he didn't have a repeat showing in 2020.
"People have been telling my whole life I couldn't do anything and I'm in the NFL now, so I don't really listen to that stuff," Collier said prior to Tuesday's camp practice. "People are going to continue to tell me I can't do stuff. You can't do this or can't do that. Well, that's fine. I'm glad you think that way. I'm gonna let you think that way and I'm going to do what I want to."
Much to the delight of the Seahawks, Collier's sophomore season unfolded far differently than his rookie year, in large part due to a modified offseason program. He credited his girlfriend, who was a nutrition major in college, for helping him change up his diet substantially, including eliminating late-night meals and snacks.
As a result of these modifications, Collier reported to training camp far leaner at under 280 pounds, more than 10 pounds lighter than his rookie season. Noticeably quicker, he beat out Rasheem Green for the starting role at the base defensive end spot during training camp, setting the stage for a successful bounce-back year.
Though he still didn't produce gaudy stats with 21 tackles and 3.0 sacks, Collier started all 16 regular season games. Much like Bennett did during his six years in the Pacific Northwest, he performed well playing extensive snaps as a strongside defensive end as well as reduced inside at 3-tech defensive tackle.
Collier also demonstrated a propensity for coming through in the clutch, seeming to make his biggest plays at critical moments for Seattle. In a Week 2 win over New England, he upended quarterback Cam Newton at the goal line in the closing seconds, helping secure a 35-31 victory. Later in the year against Arizona in Week 11, he drew a hold on guard J.R. Sweezy in the end zone during the fourth quarter that resulted in a safety as Seattle held on for a 28-21 divisional win.
“It's very important to me, man," Collier said of his habit of rising to the occasion in clutch situations. "I have always been the type of guy that can step up when I'm needed and I just want to make it where I'm needed every play. You make a bunch of plays when they don't expect it."
From Collier's perspective, as he became more comfortable with additional experience last season, he felt he gradually improved in all facets and played at his best down the stretch for a resurgent Seahawks defense that allowed only 15 points per game in the final eight contests.
"Really in everything in my overall game, I got better," Collier stated. "Beginning of the year, my pass rush wasn't where I wanted it to be, but as the year progressed, it got better and better. My run stopping wasn't good enough either, but everything got better. I felt like I was a dominant starter towards the end of the year and I really helped the team in big parts of the season. So I'm really just about finishing this year. I've let last year go and my rookie year, those years don't matter anymore. Now it's about pushing forward."
Aiming to take another substantial step in his development, Collier continued to overhaul his offseason program this spring. While sticking with his strict nutrition plan, he started working out at the Sports Academy in Frisco, Texas twice a day, placing an emphasis on hand technique, pass rush counters, and disengaging from blocks.
With improvements in those areas, Collier hopes to emerge as a more consistent pass rushing threat from the interior. He showed signs of promise with 17 quarterback pressures in 2020, but acknowledged that he "should have had six or seven sacks" and re-emphasized the need to do a better job of finishing plays.
Bearing the fruits of his labor, Collier reported to camp last month in what Carroll deemed "the best shape he's ever been." Still around 275 pounds, he has been seeing the bulk of his playing time in camp rotating with Robert Nkemdiche at the 3-tech and 5-tech positions. The two players are in the midst of a competition for a starting role alongside Poona Ford and either Al Woods or Bryan Mone at the nose tackle spot.
As far as expectations are concerned, while doubters remain, Collier has tuned them out and enters a new season with a renewed sense of confidence. With Pro Bowls and Super Bowls in mind, he hopes to hit 40 tackles for the first time in his career and after letting several sacks slip out of his grasp last year, he expects to push for at least six or seven sacks this season.
If he builds off a solid second season and accomplishes those goals playing on a talented, deep defensive line, Collier believes the "sky's the limit" for himself and the Seahawks in 2021, leaving those who cried bust to eat some crow.
"How can I be the best player I can be, help this team, help myself get to a Pro Bowl or Super Bowl? How can I help myself do that, being an All-Pro player, playing at a high level? That's really what I imagined, just playing at a high level, being the best football player I can be at the end of the day. All that crowd noise on the outside, that doesn't really matter to me."
