2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Alfred Collins (DL – Texas)

FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in March. Here’s a look at Texas defensive lineman Alfred Collins. And check out our entire 2025 NFL Draft Guide.

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Alfred Collins

Alfred Collins (DL – Texas)

6-foot-5 | 320 Pounds

Background

Alfred Collins has been a major contributor since arriving at Texas in 2020, playing 318 snaps and starting one game that year with a 22-2.0-1.0 line. He had three similar seasons after that (25-5.0-2.0 in 2021, 17-3.0-1.0 in 2022, 22-2.0-2.0 in 2023, always between 259 and 357 snaps) before taking over a bigger role this year following the departures of Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat. At the end of the regular season, he recorded a 43-5.0-1.0 line with 472 snaps.

Positives

Comes with five years of production for a major program. Massive nose tackle who can meet any team’s size requirements; carries his weight well, with an athletic build. Typically lines up as the zero-technique on Texas’ odd fronts, but can play on the end of three-man lines as well. Very strong read-and-react player who two-gaps well in the run game. Collins spent five years in school and it shows in his anticipation, gap discipline and patience.

Plays with good knee-bend to stay competitive in the leverage battle, and can easily hold the point of attack at the line of scrimmage. Uses his length effectively to lock out opponents and does a good job of locating the football. Knows when it’s time to discard a blocker and make a stop, showing urgency and power in his hand usage to shed. Very good athlete for his size, with an excellent motor and good lateral quickness to pursue.

Works hard through the snap and closes well when he’s found a lane. Collins’ tackling radius is very impressive. Showed he can play a high number of snaps this season. Uses his length effectively to contest passing lanes. Has the suddenness and athleticism to potentially be a more effective pass-rusher in a more aggressive system.

Negatives

Is a bit older than some of the other prospects in the class. Some teams may consider Collins slightly tall for a nose tackle and view him as more of a five-technique despite playing significantly fewer snaps there during the games reviewed.

The flip side of his disciplined and patient approach is that he hasn’t provided a ton of pass-rush in school. Doesn’t always look dynamic on passing downs and can end up idling around the line of scrimmage trying to play passing lanes. This could lead some teams to view him as more of an early-down option.

Summary

An excellent player who can play anywhere along a three-man line, Collins offers an excellent combination of anchor strength, anticipation, awareness, gap discipline and block-shedding skills to dominate in the run game as a two-gap defender.

Collins’ conservative style may not appeal as much to teams looking for one-gap penetrators, as he ends up around the line of scrimmage containing quarterbacks and trying to bat passes more often than he penetrates the backfield. However, for teams that prefer consistency and refinement over dynamism, Collins looks like a safe bet to develop into an early starter in a two-gap scheme.

Projection: Round 2/Round 3

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