ESPN 300 athlete Chevoski Collins could play either receiver or defensive back at Texas.
Committed: Oct. 8, 2012
ESPN.com grade: 82. Four-star recruit
ESPN.com rankings: No. 29 athlete, No. 40 player in the Midlands region, No. 36 prospect in Texas
Picked Texas over: Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU
State of the position: (Collins has been told he could play on either side but we'll say he'll start off as a safety for arguments sake) The Longhorns have had it good over the past few years with Kenny Vaccaro manning the strong safety position. With him graduating, Texas could ask cornerback Quandre Diggs to fill that roll. Diggs practiced at SS in preparation for the Alamo Bowl. Whether Diggs switches positions or not, the Longhorns will still rely on Adrian Phillips at free safety and expect more out of Mykkele Thompson and Josh Turner. We’ll see if Sheroid Evans factors into the equation. Adrian Colbert, who switched commitments from Baylor to Texas late in 2012, redshirted his freshman season.
Pros: “He is a tough player for his size who is willing to take hits and fight for extra yards and is not afraid of taking the ball into the teeth of the defense.” -- ESPN scouting report
Cons: “He lacks top-end speed and is quicker than fast.” -- ESPN scouting report
Similar to/potential role: Mykkele Thompson. Both players could probably make some things happen with the ball in their hands on offense given what they were able to do on that side of the ball in high school. But, like Thompson, Collins will probably spend his time at Texas in the secondary.
Expected impact: 2013, hesitantly. Texas has enough bodies to be OK at safety next season, but Collins could make an impact on special teams, especially in the return game even though he might lack top end speed.
