Scouting Profile: Alfred Collins - IDL - Texas
Sales Pitch: Hulking defensive tackle w/ ideal size and length. Limited as a rusher but brings high end run stuffing ability at both tackle spots.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Alfred Collins is a former 4-Star recruit from the state of Texas, where he was a High School All-American. The 23 year old was a 5 year contributor for the Longhorns, appearing in 63 games - 40 consecutively to end his career. Collins received All-Big 12 honors in 2023 as one of the best run defenders in the country.
Collins is a big powerful defensive tackle with ideal size and length. He is at his best anchoring versus the run at the point of attack. His hulking frame and excellent strength allow him to swallow up base blocks and double teams in the hole. Collins has long arms and heavy hands to control reps and lock out blockers. He shows solid block deconstruction skills to play in one or two gap schemes. He is surprisingly agile for his size, with the lateral quickness to match move blocks and leverage his gap. Unlike most bigger tackles, Collins displays the conditioning to play a high percentage of a defenses snaps. He played in almost 600 snaps in 2024 (29th most among IDL) and showed a continuous motor, even late in games. He has impressive speed for his size to chase after ball carriers in pursuit. Collins isn’t a great pass rusher, but in 2022 and 2023 when he was at a lighter weight he showed the ability to use a swim move to win around the edge, which generate respectable rush win rates in both seasons. He also has the size and length to be pocket collapser with a bull-rush down the line.
Collins is an impressive athlete for his size, but still comes in with below average burst. He is slow out of his stance and it really limits him trying to win upfield as a rusher. While he has a good swim move he lacks the counters to consistently beat blockers. Collins struggles with a narrow base and high pad level when trying to rush which opens up his frame to punches to his midsection. It also limits his ability to drive blockers with power as a rusher and creates imbalance in his game that ends up with him on the ground far too often. To a lesser degree the same issues rear their head in the run game, particularly if a double team catches him on the side of his frame it can create displacement.
Collins projects as a run stuffing nose in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme. His alignment versatility, size and run defense are all NFL ready, but his pass rush ability will dictate his upside. Collins projects as a Top-75 player who can help out a team as a rotational piece early on, with starter upside down the line.