2021 1st round pick is Zaven Collins

[Krangodnzr]

How many plays are in that video?

A handful. The point I'm making is those were all of his good plays...

 

[Brian in Mesa]

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[Crimson Warrior]

Let's shake em up Zaven!

 

[Stout]

It would be nice if we finally get something out of this kid.

 

[Chopper0080]

It would be nice if we finally get something out of this kid.

He should play well at the EDGE spot. I don't know that he will be an above average pass rusher, but he is very athletic and big. He should play faster outside with less responsibilities and not getting caught up in traffic due to slow reads and false steps. I think he can do pretty much everything you want out of an edge player other than get 10+ sacks.

 

[kerouac9]

He should play well at the EDGE spot. I don't know that he will be an above average pass rusher, but he is very athletic and big. He should play faster outside with less responsibilities and not getting caught up in traffic due to slow reads and false steps. I think he can do pretty much everything you want out of an edge player other than get 10+ sacks.

I went to look at very tall EDGEs who have been successful. Julius Peppers is a likely Hall of Famer at 6'7", but he was also one of the freakiest players to ever play in the NFL (and 20 lbs heavier).

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I went to look at very tall EDGEs who have been successful. Julius Peppers is a likely Hall of Famer at 6'7", but he was also one of the freakiest players to ever play in the NFL (and 20 lbs heavier).

I think he definitely gets in.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I went to look at very tall EDGEs who have been successful. Julius Peppers is a likely Hall of Famer at 6'7", but he was also one of the freakiest players to ever play in the NFL (and 20 lbs heavier).

Peppers was a freak, for sure. Didn't he mostly play DE in 4-3 alignments? If I remember, too, those early Carolina and Chicago teams had pretty D lines on the inside and LB's to help clean up. I think Collins is going to surprise from the edge and find his place, finally. The weak DL, especially on the interior is going to hurt him, though.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I went to look at very tall EDGEs who have been successful. Julius Peppers is a likely Hall of Famer at 6'7", but he was also one of the freakiest players to ever play in the NFL (and 20 lbs heavier).

Totally different build too...Peppers looked like a basketball player on the football field. Collins is just a brick, Ish Wainwright style.

 

[Chopper0080]

I went to look at very tall EDGEs who have been successful. Julius Peppers is a likely Hall of Famer at 6'7", but he was also one of the freakiest players to ever play in the NFL (and 20 lbs heavier).

Zaven measured 6'3 at the combine. Do you consider him "very tall"?

EDIT: Some combine result sites have him as 6'4...I am trying to find an exact measurement.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Peppers was a freak, for sure. Didn't he mostly play DE in 4-3 alignments? If I remember, too, those early Carolina and Chicago teams had pretty D lines on the inside and LB's to help clean up. I think Collins is going to surprise from the edge and find his place, finally. The weak DL, especially on the interior is going to hurt him, though.

Yep.

 

[Chopper0080]

I also use the term "EDGE" because I have no idea if they will have his hand in the dirt or not. No idea if it will be a DE / OLB hybrid. A lot of uncertainty what getting reps at OLB looks like for the Cardinals this year.

This said, he played almost his entire career in college as a 3-3 off-ball OLB which is why I have felt he would best transition into a 3-4 EDGE. Very similar styles of play.

 

[kerouac9]

Peppers was a freak, for sure. Didn't he mostly play DE in 4-3 alignments? If I remember, too, those early Carolina and Chicago teams had pretty D lines on the inside and LB's to help clean up. I think Collins is going to surprise from the edge and find his place, finally. The weak DL, especially on the interior is going to hurt him, though.

He did, but he also frequently dropped in into coverage and had amazing fluidity. He wasn't a straight-up-the-field rush specialist like Simeon Rice or Dwight Freeney.

Speaking of pass rushers -- Alex Okafor. Remember that guy? Had eight sacks in 2014. Won a ring with the 2019 Chiefs. Good for him.

 

[Chopper0080]

I know I was not the only one, but so funny to see Collins as an EDGE player and Simmons as a S after stating it was their best position when they got drafted. One reason that I don't default to "the coaches/GMs know best". Too many examples of the coaches or GMs being dumb.

 

[Chopper0080]

He did, but he also frequently dropped in into coverage and had amazing fluidity. He wasn't a straight-up-the-field rush specialist like Simeon Rice or Dwight Freeney.

Speaking of pass rushers -- Alex Okafor. Remember that guy? Had eight sacks in 2014. Won a ring with the 2019 Chiefs. Good for him.

Nice pick out of Texas. Was sad when they just let him walk to sign in NO for a minimal deal.

 

[Chopper0080]

If you want an example of a player of Collins profile as an EDGE, Alex Highsmith for Pit is pretty close.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

He'll be better just because there is no Bill Davis to continue stunting his growth as a player.

 

[BritCard]

I went to look at very tall EDGEs who have been successful. Julius Peppers is a likely Hall of Famer at 6'7", but he was also one of the freakiest players to ever play in the NFL (and 20 lbs heavier).

Collins is 6' 5". That's average for Edge no?

He's pretty much same height and weight as Chandler Jones but faster.

 

[QuebecCard]

Collins is 6' 5". That's average for Edge no?

He's pretty much same height and weight as Chandler Jones but faster.

I would guess that by faster, you don't mean quicker than Chandler, one of the premier pass-rushers of his generation.

 

[Chopper0080]

Collins is 6' 5". That's average for Edge no?

He's pretty much same height and weight as Chandler Jones but faster.

I don't think he is really 6'5. NFL.com combine had him at 6'4

 

[football karma]

He should play well at the EDGE spot. I don't know that he will be an above average pass rusher, but he is very athletic and big. He should play faster outside with less responsibilities and not getting caught up in traffic due to slow reads and false steps. I think he can do pretty much everything you want out of an edge player other than get 10+ sacks.

i think this is spot on -- bold is my emphasis

 

[BritCard]

I don't think he is really 6'5. NFL.com combine had him at 6'4

Mockdraftable has him 0.1 inch under 6' 5"

 

[BritCard]

I would guess that by faster, you don't mean quicker than Chandler, one of the premier pass-rushers of his generation.

Chandler ran a 4.77 40.

Zaven ran 4.65.

 

[Stout]

We're not going go seriously try to compare Chandler and Zaven, right? Chandler is a borderline HoFer and we're just trying to salvage a bad 1st round pick in Zaven at this point.

 

[QuebecCard]

Chandler ran a 4.77 40.

Zaven ran 4.65.

Which has little to nothing to do with quickness in the head-to-head battle in the trenches.